The Calcutta High Court has directed the Director General and Inspector General of Police, West Bengal to ensure CCTV Cameras in every Police station in the State remains functional.

The Court has directed that all non-functional ones are either to be replaced or rectified.

“The Director General and Inspector General of Police, West Bengal shall ensure that, by the returnable date, each and every CCTV Camera in each and every Police station in the State of West Bengal shall remain functional, all the non-functional ones are either to be replaced or rectified.”, the bench of Justice Rajasekhar Mantha ordered.

The Court has also directed strict action against all the Commissioners and Superintendents of Police for any non-functional CCTV Cameras in any of the Police Station in the State.

The Court also noted that the Director General and Inspector General of Police, West Bengal shall receive assistance from Criminal Investigation Department, West Bengal and the Ministry of Home Affairs, to independently verify the functionality of each CCTV cameras in each Police Station.

“The Director General and Inspector General of Police, West Bengal shall receive assistance from Criminal Investigation Department, West Bengal and the Ministry of Home Affairs, to independently verify the functionality of each CCTV cameras in each Police Station. A weekly report shall be obtained by the DGP in this regard from the Commissioners/Superintendents of Police and Superintendent of Railway Police, West Bengal of the functionality of all the CCTV Cameras in each and every Police Stations in the State henceforth.”, the Court directed.

This comes after a list of functional and non-functional CCTV Cameras in each of the Police Stations in West Bengal was produced.

Advocates Atis Kumar Biswas and Sabyasachi Chatterjee appeared for petitioners.

The Director General and Inspector General of Police, West Bengal, Manoj Malaviya, had filed a report before the Court indicating that a status report has been called for from all Commissioners of Police and Superintendents of Police and Superintendents of Railway Police over the functioning of CCTV Cameras in Police Stations.

Cause Title- Mehejan Bibi Mondal v. State of West Bengal & Ors

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Calcutta HCJustice Rajasekhar Mantha

Ashish Shaji