Section 2

In this Sanhita, unless the context otherwise requires,— (a) "bailable offence" means an offence which is shown as bailable in the First Schedule, or which is made bailable by any other law for the time being in force; and "non-bailable offence" means any other offence; (b) "charge" includes any head of charge when the charge contains more heads than one; (c) "cognizable offence" means an offence for which, and "cognizable case" means a case in which, a police officer may, in accordance with the First Schedule or under any other law for the time being in force, arrest without warrant; (d) "complaint" means any allegation made orally or in writing to a Magistrate, with a view to his taking action under this Sanhita, that some person, whether known or unknown, has committed an offence, but does not include a police report; (e) "document" includes any matter expressed or described upon any substance by means of letters, figures or marks, or by more than one of those means, intended to be used, or which may be used, as evidence; and includes electronic record; (f) "electronic communication" means communication by means of any device or system that can generate, store or transmit data in the form of electronic record; (g) "electronic record" means data, record or data generated, image or sound stored, received or sent in an electronic form or micro film or computer generated micro fiche; (h) "First Schedule" means the First Schedule appended to this Sanhita; (i) "High Court" means—(i) in relation to any State, the High Court for that State; (ii) in relation to a Union territory to which the jurisdiction of the High Court for a State has been extended by law, that High Court; (iii) in relation to other Union territories, the highest court of criminal appeal for that territory other than the Supreme Court of India; (j) "inquiry" means every inquiry, other than a trial, conducted under this Sanhita by a Magistrate or court; (k) "investigation" includes all the proceedings under this Sanhita for the collection of evidence conducted by a police officer or by any person (other than a Magistrate) who is authorised by a Magistrate in this behalf; (l) "judicial proceeding" includes any proceeding in the course of which evidence is or may be legally taken on oath; (m) "local jurisdiction", in relation to a court or Magistrate, means the local area within which the court or Magistrate may exercise all or any of its or his powers under this Sanhita; (n) "non-cognizable offence" means an offence for which, and "non-cognizable case" means a case in which, a police officer has no authority to arrest without warrant; (o) "notification" means a notification published in the Official Gazette; (p) "offence" means any act or omission made punishable by any law for the time being in force; (q) "officer in charge of a police station" includes, when the officer in charge of the police station is absent from the station-house or unable from illness or other cause to perform his duties, the police officer present at the station-house who is next in rank to such officer and is above the rank of constable; (r) "place" includes a house, building, tent, vehicle and vessel; (s) "pleader" means any person who has the right of audience in any court or before any authority or person, and includes an advocate; (t) "police report" means a report forwarded by a police officer to a Magistrate under sub-section (2) of section 193; (u) "police station" means any post or place declared generally or specially by the State Government, to be a police station, and includes any local area specified by the State Government in this behalf; (v) "prescribed" means prescribed by rules made under this Sanhita; (w) "proclamation" means a proclamation published under this Sanhita; (x) "public prosecutor" means any person appointed under section 18, and includes any person acting under the directions of a public prosecutor; (y) "sub-division" means a sub-division of a district; (z) "summons case" means a case relating to an offence, and not being a warrant case; (za) "victim" means a person who has suffered any loss or injury caused by reason of the act or omission for which the accused person has been charged, and the expression "victim" includes his or her guardian or legal heir; (zb) "warrant case" means a case relating to an offence punishable with death, imprisonment for life or imprisonment for a term exceeding two years.