Preserve CCTV footage at Madurai SP office, orders Madras HC

MADURAI: The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has directed the Superintendent of Police, Madurai, to preserve CCTV footage recorded at the SP office campus for two days, from August 28 and file a report explaining the shifting of CCTV cameras from public places to the SP office and the Government Orders under which they were shifted.

Justice P Murugan issued the order on September 16, granting a petition seeking to secure and preserve CCTV footage from the office of the Superintendent of Police, Madurai, and other relevant locations for two days — August 28 and 29. The petitioner sought the footage on the ground that his wife, Nachimuthu, had been detained by the police for more than 36 hours without registration of a CSR or FIR before she was subsequently arrested and remanded.

The Government Advocate informed the court that the petitioner’s wife was arrested only on the morning of August 29 and taken to the District Crime Branch (DCB), located near the SP office, at around 10.30 am. On the issue of preserving the CCTV footage, he submitted that some of the CCTV cameras installed at public places with the help of sponsors were shifted to the SP office on the instructions of Mari Raja, Technical Inspector. Moreover, as CCTV footage was preserved only for 15 days, they were unable to preserve the footage at that time.

However, the court directed the SP, Madurai, to preserve all available CCTV recordings from the cameras installed inside the SP office campus, the DCB building and other buildings situated within the campus for two days and produce a copy before the court.

Justice Murugan further directed the SP, Madurai, to submit a report regarding the installation of CCTV cameras at the SP office. The report should include details such as who installed the cameras, the number of cameras installed, how many cameras are currently functioning, how many are not functioning, the date on which each non-functioning camera became dysfunctional and the action taken to rectify the non-functioning cameras.

Pointing out that the SP, Madurai, is expected to follow the Supreme Court's directions on the installation, functioning and preservation of CCTV cameras, the court sought a report on how CCTV cameras installed at public places came to be shifted to the SP office and under which Rules or Government Orders such shifting was permitted.

The judge also directed the Government Advocate to produce before the court the relevant Rules, Government Orders and directions of the Supreme Court governing the installation and shifting of CCTV cameras within one week. The SP was also directed to file his report within one week, and the matter was posted after one week for further orders.