Section 24 in The Railway (Notices of and Inquiries Into Accidents) Rules, 1998
24. Status of police officer investigating the accident.
(1)Whenever an investigation is to be made by the Railway Police-(a)in a case in which an accident is attended with loss of human life or with grievous hurt, or with serious damage to railway property of the value exceeding twenty five-lakh rupees; or(b)in pursuance of a direction given under clause (c) of rule 17, the investigation shall be conducted by the Head of the Railway Police of the area in which the accident has occurred, or if that officer is unable to conduct the investigation himself, by an officer to be deputed by him.(2)The officer deputed under sub-rule (1) shall ordinarily be the senior officer available, and shall whenever possible be a Gazetted Officer, and shall in no case be of a rank lower than that of an Inspector:Provided that the investigation may be carried out by an officer-in-charge of a police station:-(i)in a case such as is referred to in clause (a) of sub-rule (1), if no loss of life or grievous hurt has been caused to more persons than one or no damage to railway property of value exceeding twenty-five lakh rupees has been caused or there is no reason to suspect that any servant of the railway has been guilty of neglect of any rule relating to the working of the railway;(ii)in the case referred to in clause (b) of sub-rule (1), if the District Magistrate so directs.
