CCTVs in police stations should have audio, video: Delhi high court

The court of justice Anu Malhotra made the observation while hearing a plea by an imam of a masjid near Nabi Karim police station, claiming that he was allegedly threatened by a “self-styled caretaker” of the mosque in the presence of the SHO of the police station.

The Delhi high court has said that CCTVs installed in police stations should have audio and video components, as ordered by the Supreme Court in prior rulings.

During the hearing, the court noted that only the video footage of Nabi Karim police station was preserved but not the audio. (For representational purposes only) (HT FILE PHOTO)

The court of justice Anu Malhotra made the observation while hearing a plea by an imam of a masjid near Nabi Karim police station, claiming that he was allegedly threatened by a “self-styled caretaker” of the mosque in the presence of the SHO of the police station.

During the hearing, the court noted that only the video footage of Nabi Karim police station was preserved but not the audio.

The petitioner, in his plea, alleged that the “self-styled caretaker” who was “illegally” managing the masjid had threatened him with dire consequences.

“It is essential to observe that in view of the verdict of the Hon’ble Supreme Court in ‘Paramvir Singh Saini vs Baljit Singh & Others’...has expressly directed that the CCTVs have essentially to be installed in the police stations, lock-ups, corridors, lobbies, reception areas, verandas/outhouses...and that the said CCTV systems have to be equipped with night vision and must necessarily consist of audio as well as video footage,” the court said in its order dated May 27.