Cognizable and non-cognizable offence

First schedule of the Cr.P.C. gives the classification of the offences of the IPC into cognizable & Non-cognizable categories.

IPC 498A is a congnisable offence. A brief description of the two is given below (courtesy link here: http://ncrb.nic.in/cii2007/cii-2007/CHAP1.pdf):

Cognizable Crimes

A cognizable offence or case is defined as the one which an officer in-charge of a police station may investigate without the order of a magistrate and affect arrest without warrant. The police has a direct responsibility to take immediate action on the receipt of a complaint or of credible information in such crimes, visit the scene of the crime, investigate the facts, apprehend the offender and arraign him before a court of law having jurisdiction over the matter. Cognizable crimes are broadly categorised as those falling either under the `Indian Penal Code (IPC)’ or under the `Special and Local Laws (SLL)’.

Non-Cognizable Offence

Non-Cognizable crimes are defined as those which can not be investigated by police without the order of a competent magistrate. Police does not initiate investigation in non-cognizable crimes except with magisterial permission.