NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court has warned of necessary action against the top officers of the Centre and States, if its direction for installing CCTV cameras at police stations and offices of the investigating agencies were not complied with.
"We clarify that in the event the directions, as issued by this court, are not complied with by the Union of India and the respective State Governments/Union Territories, we shall be compelled to take such steps as found necessary against the Secretary (Home), Union of India as well as the Chief Secretary and the Secretary (Home) of the respective State Governments," a bench led by Justice B R Gavai said.
The top court also asked the Union as well as government's of all the States/Union Territories to file an affidavit stating therein the present status with regard to the compliance of the directions issued by the court.
The bench, also comprising Justices Vikram Nath and Sanjay Karol, said the affidavit should be filed on or prior to March 29, 2023.
In 2020, the court had directed installation of CCTV cameras and recording equipment at the offices of investigating agencies, including the CBI, the ED and NIA, having power to conduct interrogations and arrest.
Acting as amicus curiae, senior advocate Siddhartha Dave submitted that 25 states and union territories were yet to file compliance reports in terms of the earlier directions which had initially set a deadline of six weeks for putting in place CCTVs in police stations across the country.
The Centre informed the court that CCTVs will be installed at the CBI headquarters here as well as its branch offices by the end of next month and that all offices of the Narcotics Control Bureau, Serious Frauds Investigation Office and Directorate of Revenue Intelligence have already complied with the directive.
It also said procurement of CCTVs for NIA establishments has been approved and the exercise will be concluded by the end of this year.
It sought time till May for installation of the remaining CCTVs at the Enforcement Directorate. As far as police stations in Delhi are concerned, the Centre informed, there was a requirement of over 2,000 more CCTVs and currently 1,941 CCTVs needed to be upgraded.
In December 2020, a bench led by Justice R F Nariman (since retired), while dealing with a matter related to custodial torture, had directed the Centre to install CCTV cameras and recording equipment at the offices of investigating agencies.
It had directed the states and union territories to ensure CCTV cameras are installed at each and every police station, at all entry and exit points, main gate, lock-ups, corridors, lobby and reception as also areas outside the lock-up rooms so that no part is left uncovered.
In its order, the court had also taken note of a 2017 case in which it had ordered installation of CCTV cameras in all the police stations to check human right abuses, videography of crime scene and setting up of a Central Oversight Committee. It had ordered setting up such a panel in every state and union territory.
The top court put the matter for consideration on April 18, 2023.
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