BNSS Section 210 - Cognizance of offences by Magistrates

(1) Subject to the provisions of this Chapter, any Magistrate of the first class, and any Judicial Magistrate of the second class specially empowered in this behalf under sub-section (2), may take cognizance of any offence—

• (a) upon receiving a complaint of facts, including any complaint filed by a person authorised under any special law, which constitutes such offence;
• (b) upon a police report (recorded in any mode including digital mode) of such facts;
• (c) upon information received from any person other than a police officer, or upon his own knowledge, that such offence has been committed.

(2) The Chief Judicial Magistrate may empower any Magistrate of the second class to take cognizance under sub-section (1) of such offences as are within his competence to inquire into or try.

(3) Any Magistrate empowered under this section, shall upon receiving a complaint against a public servant arising in course of the discharge of his official duties, take cognizance, subject to—

• (a) receiving a report containing facts and circumstances of the incident from the officer superior to such public servant; and
• (b) after consideration of the assertions made by the public servant as to the situation that led to the incident so alleged.