The Madhya Pradesh High Court allowed the petition with cost of Rs. 1,20,000 imposed on the cops (respondents no. 5 to 10) with direction to be deposited by respondents in the Registry of this Court within a period of 1 month from the date of order is passed.
The High Court issued the direction on a petition filed by Akhilesh Pandey was illegally detained and badly beaten by Police Authorities inside the Police Station Bhalumada, district Anuppur, on 17/09/2023 and he was released on 18/09/2023. Thus, this petition is against Police Atrocities in Police Station Bhalumada district Anuppur itself.
The court order said the cost of Rs. 40,000 shall be deposited by respondent no. 5, Rs. 20,000 shall be deposited by the ASI who took the petitioner in the room with thick bamboo stick, Rs. 20,000 by respondent no.10 and Rs. 20,000 by Head Constable who pulled the Uniform of respondent no.10 and Rs. 10,000 each by the remaining two respondents, failing which the Registrar General is directed not only to start proceedings for recovery from the defaulter, but shall also register a separate case for Contempt of Court.
The cost so deposited by the respondents no. 5 to 10 shall be paid to the petitioner, if any application for withdrawal is made, the court order said.
It is submitted by counsel for petitioner that petitioner was illegally detained and badly beaten by Police Authorities inside the Police Station Bhalumada, Distt. Anuppur, on 17/09/2023 and he was
released on 18/09/2023 i.e. after 12 hours after serving a notice under Section 41-A of Cr.P.C. Thus, this petition is against Police Atrocities in Police Station Bhalumada Distt. Anuppur itself.
It is submitted by the petitioner’s counsel that on 17/09/2023 at about 10:30 PM, the villagers stopped the movement of trucks of the company where petitioner was working. It is the claim of petitioner that since he was the in-charge of the Company, therefore he also went to the spot where respondent No.10 was already present. Petitioner asked the respondent No.10 about the matter, then respondent No.10 demanded illegal gratification of Rs.5,000. Accordingly, petitioner got angry and shouted at respondent No.10. In response to that, respondent No.10 started beating the petitioner. Thereafter all the staff of the Police Station reached the spot and petitioner was taken to Police Station at 12:03 PM where he was taken into a room by respondent No.7 with a Bamboo stick. It is claimed that no CCTV camera was installed in the said room. Petitioner was brutally beaten. Thereafter, respondents including respondent No.5 hatched a conspiracy and lodged the false FIR against the Petitioner, the court order said.
It appears, that the Director General Of Police did not take care of direction issued by this Court to Superintendent of Police Gwalior to ensure that CCTV Cameras must be installed in such a manner that every room of the concerning Police Station is covered by the CCTV camera and did not ensure that the same direction is implemented in every Police Station situated in the entire State, the court order said.
In the present case, the Superintendent of Police, Anuppur did not care to ensure the compliance of directions given by Supreme Court in the case of Paramvir Singh (Supra). This shows dereliction of duties on the part of Superintendent of Police, Anuppur.
Therefore, the Director General of Police, State of Madhya Pradesh is directed to ensure that each and every room of the Police Station is fitted with CCTV Camera with audio facility.
The Director General of Police, State of M.P. is directed to immediately call report from every Superintendent of Police of each District to the effect as to whether any room or space within the Police Station (so situated in their respective District has any black spot (without CCTV Camera) and should ensure that every room and every space within the Police Station is fitted with CCTV Cameras within a period of 3 months from today, the court order said.
The Director General of Police, State of M.P. is directed to ensure that report from every Superintendent of Police is received by him within a period of one month from today, and thereafter, every space including every room situated in respective Police Station be brought within the coverage area of CCTV Camera, within a period of two months from thereafter, the court order said.
In future if it is found that in a Police Station an area was left outside the coverage area of CCTV camera, then such lapse shall be considered as Contempt of Court, and action shall be taken against the Superintendent of Police of the said District and also S.H.O. of concerning Police
Station for Contempt of Court, the court order said.
The Director General of Police is directed to submit his report with regard to installation of CCTV cameras at every place in all the Police Stations of the State of M.P. latest by 18-2-2025, the court order said.
In case if the report is not submitted then the Registrar General of this Court is directed to register a separate case for Contempt of Court, the court order said.
