CCTVs Installed In 99% Police Stations, Footage To Be Preserved For 18 Months: TN Govt Tells Madras High Court
The Madras High Court recently closed a public interest litigation seeking to frame standard operating procedures for preserving, protecting and maintaining the CCTV footages inside police stations and ensuring its availability to prevent possible human rights violation.
The bench of Acting Chief Justice R Mahadevan and Justice Mohammed Shaffiq closed the plea after considering the State's plea that CCTV cameras have been installed in almost 99% of the police stations and steps have been taken to preserve the footage for a period of 18 months.
The court remarked that the State's steps would address the grievances of the petitioner. The court further gave liberty to the petitioner to approach the court if he had any grievance in the future.
The court was hearing a petition filed by an Advocate K Nizamuddin. In his plea, Nizamuddin pointed out that there was no statutory framework or standard operating procedure to protect, preserve and maintain the CCTV footage inside police station or against its manipulation and doctoring. He pointed out that this lacuna goes against the very purpose for which the CCTV cameras are installed.
Nizamuddin stated that a police station was where a citizen's liberty was curtailed by way of an arrest or custodial interrogation which is sanctioned under law. He added that CCTVs were installed in police stations to prevent any custodial torture or use of excess force by the police which may lead to human rights violation by the uninformed force.
He added that with the advent of technology, the digital evidence played an important role and with the help of CCTV cameras, one could easily identify the aggressor/offender. He submitted that while the state government has taken a policy decision to modernise the police force, a standard procedure for the maintenance of CCTV footage was still missing.
Bringing attention to the Sathankulam police brutality, Nizamuddin pointed out that in most of the cases in this nature, the CCTV cameras would become dysfunctional in crucial times. Nizamuddin added that in Sathankulam case also, the preliminary investigation revealed that there was manipulation of the CCTV footage from the cameras.
Thus, emphasising on the need for protecting and preserving the CCTV footages to prevent custodial violence and police brutality, Nizamuddin sought for reliefs.
Citation: 2024 LiveLaw (Mad) 266
Case Title: K Nizamuddin v The Chief Secretary to Government and Others
Case No: WP 14452 of 2020