The Supreme Court of India today reserved its decision in a suo motu matter concerning custodial deaths and the troubling non-functionality of CCTV systems in police stations throughout Rajasthan. The issue came to the Court’s attention following a news report that 11 persons died in police custody during the past eight months.
A Bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta heard the case. Senior Advocate Siddharth Dave, assisting the Court, observed that while some states have obeyed earlier directions to install CCTV cameras, others remain in default. He further noted that central investigative agencies such as the NIA, ED, and CBI also have yet to fully comply. Concerns were raised not only about deaths in custody but also about the persistence of torture and abuse.
Justice Mehta emphasized that affidavits of compliance are insufficient in themselves. He warned that even if cameras are formally installed—officers might simply switch them off, undermining oversight. He proposed a control-room model, operated without human intervention, which would automatically raise an alert when a camera ceases to function. He even suggested involving an IIT to devise a technical mechanism to monitor CCTV footage without human manipulation.
The Bench declined to admit an intervenor in the proceedings, stating that it would call for assistance if needed. The Court has scheduled the case for further hearing and will deliver its order on September 22, 2025.
This suo motu PIL was initiated on September 4 in response to the report citing the 11 custodial deaths and the widespread failure of CCTV compliance. The Court referred to its landmark 2020 judgment which had mandated CCTV installations in all police stations and offices where interrogations occur (including agencies such as the CBI, NIA, ED, etc.), along with requirements for night-vision capabilities and audio-video recording. Despite those earlier orders, deficiencies persist: in many cases cameras are non-functional or footage is missing when required.
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