The Madhya Pradesh High Court has mandated the installation of CCTV cameras equipped with audio recording capabilities in every room of police stations across the state within three months. This directive, issued on October 21 by Justice G. S. Ahluwalia, comes in response to a case involving police brutality.
The ruling was prompted by a writ petition from Akhilesh Pandey, a resident of Anuppur district, who claimed to have been unlawfully detained and assaulted by officers at the Bhalumada police station in September 2023, amid a dispute between locals and factory management. Pandey reported that after being taken to a room without CCTV, he was subjected to severe beating, and he later acquired video evidence showing his treatment through the Right to Information Act.
The court emphasized that the absence of surveillance in the interrogation room suggested an intent by the police to conceal their misconduct. Consequently, the Director General of Police (DGP) is now responsible for ensuring all areas within police stations are monitored, with a status report required from each district within one month.
Additionally, the High Court has mandated the DGP to submit a completion report by February 18, 2025. The court has also imposed penalties on the involved officers ranging from ₹10,000 to ₹40,000 and ordered their transfer to locations over 900 km away to prevent any conspiracy or manipulation of evidence.
In a pointed critique of the police department, the court remarked on the systemic protection of wrongdoers within the force, highlighting the serious implications of such conduct. Furthermore, it directed the initiation of a criminal case against a doctor involved in creating a misleading medical report that defended the police’s actions by stating no injuries were present on Pandey’s body.
This ruling aims to enhance accountability and transparency within the police force, addressing the urgent need for reform in light of violent incidents and ensuring the protection of citizens’ rights.
