What is a criminal offence ?

Criminal law deals with offences and their punishment. In a criminal offence, the State takes upon itself the responsibility to investigate and collect evidence to fight the case in court and enforce the punishment. Criminal offences such are theft, rape, murder, cheating, forgery, mischief, house-trespass etc are dealt with in the Indian Penal Code, 1960. The Penal Code defines the offence, the ingredients of the offence and sets out the punishment for the offence. In India, grave crimes like rape, murder, theft etc. are considered cognizable, and crimes like public nuisance, simple hurt, mischief etc. are considered non-cognizable.