No CCTVs, even after May alarm

While security experts are groping in the dark for the perpetrators of the Delhi carnage, the legal fraternity thinks the Delhi Police can be largely blamed for their indifference. Karn Pratap Singh and Jatin Anand report. See pics: Too little, too late?

Just who was responsible for Wednesday morning’s blast in the Delhi high court, leaving 11 people killed and 76 injured?

While security experts are groping in the dark for the actual perpetrators of the carnage, the legal fraternity, including former additional solicitor general Gopal Subramanium, thinks the Delhi Police can be largely blamed for their indifference even after the failed May 25 bomb attack in the same court.

After May 25, the police had said the incident could be a rehearsal for a much bigger and lethal attack, and submitted a proposal before the registrar of the high court for installing CCTV cameras at all the nine entry and exit gates and in the parking lots.

“We had written to the high court bar association immediately after the May 25 blast. They then wrote to the land-owning agency, the PWD which is still in the tendering process. There has been no delay on our part,” said a senior police officer.

But former Delhi high court chief justice AP Shah told HT that it was the duty of the state to ensure security in courts. He said regular review meetings on high court security take place with the police, but judges cannot decide where the metal detectors and CCTV cameras should be installed. “And the cost has to be borne by the state.”

According to DK Sharma, secretary, Delhi high court Bar Association, soon after the May 25 blast, five meetings were held with Delhi Police officers to discuss the security the court.

"The police were asked to decide on what kind of cameras will be installed and the spots, said Sharma. “After getting specifications from the police, the land-owning agency was asked to float the tender. A bidder did accept the tender, but it was not passed since the police cited certain technical flaws in it.”

In an interview to TV, Tejender Khanna, lt governor of Delhi, said, “I will have to check with the Delhi Police commissioner whether the high court was among the sanctioned places where CCTV cameras have to be installed.”

See pics: Too little, too late?