September 19, 2024

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Bombay Top Courtroom: Maharashtra govt’s CCTV challenge in police stations a ‘farce’, Rs 60 crore wasted

By way of PTI

MUMBAI: The Bombay Top Courtroom on Tuesday expressed its displeasure over a file submitted by means of the Maharashtra govt at the standing of set up of CCTV cameras within police stations around the state and mentioned the entire procedure was once a “farce” and the cash allocated for the challenge has been wasted.

A department bench of Justices S J Kathawalla and M N Jadhav had closing week sought a file from the federal government offering main points of useful in addition to non-functional CCTVs (closed-circuit tv cameras) in any respect police stations.

The court docket had handed the order when it was once knowledgeable all over the listening to of a petition that the CCTVs put in in a selected police station in Maharashtra weren’t functioning for the previous two months.

The top court docket had then referred to a 2020 Splendid Courtroom ruling that directed set up of CCTVs throughout all police stations within the nation.

On Tuesday, when the file was once submitted to the court docket, the bench famous that it was once devoid of the related details sought by means of it.

“We see that motion has been taken after this court docket handed the order. Are we intended to run the management spoon feed them? No matter we’ve got mentioned (so as) has been reproduced within the ‘paripatrak’ (instructions issued) by means of the Further Director Normal of Police (ADGP),” the court docket mentioned.

“A commonplace guy is going to the police station pondering that the Splendid Courtroom tips are being adopted. And we have no idea what is going on to the Rs 60 crore allotted by means of the state for CCTV set up challenge,” Justice Kathawalla seen.

As in line with the file submitted by means of the federal government, there are 1,089 police stations within the state. To this point, 6,092 cameras had been put in in 547 police stations of which 5,639 are useful, whilst the rest are inoperative.

The court docket identified as in line with the federal government’s file, Rs 6 lakh were spent for set up of CCTVs in every police station.

“I’ve were given CCTVs in my space, however I’ve now not spent greater than Rs 35,000 for that,” Justice Jadhav mentioned, including even after spending Rs 6 lakh, the recording duration of the CCTVs was once now not so long as what was once mentioned within the SC order.”

“They don’t need it to be recorded. They do not wish to display to any courts or government what is going on in police stations. That is all a farce, they usually don’t need the courts to grasp. Rs 60 crore wasted,” Justice Kathawalla famous.

The bench fastened the following listening to on February 21 and requested Recommend Normal Ashutosh Kumbhakoni to supply “lively help” to the court docket over the subject.