New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the Center to install CCTV cameras in the offices of all investigating agencies, including the Central Bureau of Investigation, Enforcement Directorate and the National Investigation Agency, which have the authority to arrest and interrogate.
A bench of Justice Rohinton Fali Nariman, Justice KM Joseph and Justice Anirudh Bose said that states and union territories should ensure that the location of entry and exit in each police station, main entrance, lockup, all corridors, lobbies, reception CCTV cameras must be installed in the room area and areas outside the lockup room. The apex court had earlier ordered installation of CCTV cameras in police stations to curb human rights violations.
The court said that all the investigating agencies of the Narcotic Control Bureau, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence and Serious Fraud Investigation Offices must compulsorily install CCTV cameras in all the offices in which inquiries are made and the accused are kept. The court said that the CCTV system should have audio and video footage along with night vision facility and it would be mandatory for the Center and the States and Union Territories to purchase such a system which would have CCTV cameras for at least one year and longer. There is a facility to store data of.
The bench said in its order, “Apart from this, the Central Government is also directed that CCTV cameras and recording equipment be given to CBI, Directorate of Enforcement, NIA, Narcotic Control Bureau, Directorate of Revenue Intelligence, Concerned Crime Investigation Office, such other agencies as The right to interrogate and arrest, should also be installed in the offices of. “
The court said, “Since most of these agencies make inquiries in their offices, CCTV cameras will inevitably be installed in all the offices where the accused are interrogated and kept as lock-ups.”
The apex court, while considering a case related to torture in custody, took cognizance of the court order of July 2017 in which CCTV cameras were installed in all police stations and a central station to prevent misuse of human rights and videography of the incident. It was ordered to set up a monitoring committee and a monitoring committee in each state and union territory.
