In a case of alleged atrocity carried out in a police station, the Jabalpur bench of Madhya Pradesh High Court directed the Director General of Police to ensure that each and every room of Police Stations in districts across the State are fitted with CCTV Camera with audio facility within three months, failure of which would amount to contempt.
The court said this after observing that in the present case the petitioner was “badly beaten” by the police personnel in the concerned police station that too “deliberately” in a room which did not have CCTV camera.
Taking note of the video clippings submitted by the petitioner, a single judge bench of Justice G.S. Ahluwalia in its order observed, “Thus, it is clear that petitioner was badly beaten by the Police personnel in the presence of respondent no.5, inside the Police Station in a room which was not having CCTV camera. Petitioner was deliberately taken to a room because it did not have CCTV Camera. Therefore, it is clear that the Police personnel were intending to hide their illegal activities of assaulting the petitioner in a Police Station”.
It thereafter directed, “Therefore, the Director General of Police, State of Madhya Pradesh is directed to ensure that each and every room of the Police Station is fitted with CCTV Camera with audio facility.The Director General of Police, State of M.P. is directed to immediately call report from every Superintendent of Police of each District to the effect as to whether any room or space within the Police Station (so situated in their respective District has any black spot (without CCTV Camera) and should ensure that every room and every space within the Police Station is fitted with CCTV Cameras within a period of 3 months from today.”
The court further directed the Director General of Police of the State to ensure that report from every Superintendent of Police is received by him within one month from the date of the high court order. Following this, every space including every room situated in respective Police Station be brought within the coverage area of CCTV Camera, within a period of two months from thereafter, it said.
