With the aim of preventing deprivation of liberty torture, the Supreme Court ordered this Wednesday the installation of closed circuit television cameras in the offices of the Central Investigation Office (CBI), Directorate of Execution (ED), the National Agency for Investigation (NIA) and other agencies, in addition to police stations across the country.
I extendedWithin the scope of its 2018 order, the highest court held that not only police stations, but all other agencies, which have the power to make arrests and interrogate, must also have CCTV and recording devices installed in their facilities. Thus, the bank headed by Judge Rohinton F Nariman directed the central government to install CCTV cameras with audio recording facilities at the offices of CBI, ED, NIA, Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Department of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) and all those agencies.
“Since most of these agencies conduct interrogations in their office (s), CCTV must be installed in all offices where said interrogation and detention of the accused takes place in the same way as in a police station, “said the bench. In 2018, the court had handed down a sentence for placing all police stations under CCTV surveillance to check for human rights abuses. For this purpose, all states had to form independent committees that could study the recordings of CCTV cameras and periodically publish reports of their observations.
In addition, this ruling requested the central government to establish a Central Oversight Body (COB) and provide the necessary funds so that it could issue the necessary instructions to the states and territories of the union to facilitate videography of crime scenes and compliance from other cusp instructions. Cut.
Two years later, when the court sought to assess the progress made by the states, it noted serious deficiencies in the enforcement of its judgment across the board. At this point, the court enlisted the help of Attorney General KK Venugopal and appointed lead attorney Siddhartha Dave as amicus curiae (friend of the court) so that the matter would lead to a fruitful outcome.
After receiving suggestions from Venugopal and Dave, the bank expanded the scope of their request to also include central agencies. In addition, the court order held the SHO of each police station responsible for the maintenance and maintenance of the CCTV cameras. Cameras must be installed at all entry and exit points, the main gate of the police station, all locks, the reception area, officers’ rooms and the station lobby.
The court has ordered states to ensure that good quality cameras with high resolution, night vision and a recording retention facility are purchased and installed immediately in all police stations for at least one year.
He added that a State-Level Oversight Committee should also be constituted, composed of a secretary or additional secretary of the Interior and Finance departments, the director general of police or the inspector general of police, and a member of the state women’s commission, to ensure that the instructions of the court are duly carried out, in addition to attending to budget allocations and supervision at the state level.
Similarly, district-level oversight committees, comprised of the district magistrate, a police superintendent, and a municipal mayor, will be established in all districts to interact with SHOs for CCTV maintenance and review images in looking for any violation of human rights. The court has given the Center and the states six weeks to submit their affidavit of compliance with the details of the cameras installed, the exact schedule for completing the remaining facilities, and the constitution of oversight committees.
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