Section 78 of the IT Act 2000 specifically empowers police officers of the rank of Inspector and above to investigate cognizable cybercrimes. For non-cognizable cybercrimes, any police officer can investigate (but cannot arrest without a warrant), and the officer in charge of the police station is responsible for recording the complaint.
Section 78 of the Information Technology Act, 2000 deals with the power to investigate offenses under the Act. It states:
"(1) Notwithstanding anything contained in the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, a police officer not below the rank of Inspector shall investigate any cognizable offence under this Act."
This means that any cognizable offense under the Information Technology Act can only be investigated by a police officer who is at least an Inspector or above in rank.
Cognizable offenses are those where the police can arrest a person without a warrant.
