Jharkhand High Court Issues Contempt Notice to DGP Over CCTV Delay in Police Stations

The Jharkhand High Court has taken a serious view of the failure to install CCTV cameras in police stations across the state despite its earlier directions. During a hearing on Thursday, the court expressed displeasure over the non-compliance and issued a contempt notice to Director General of Police (DGP) of Jharkhand.

The court has asked the DGP to explain why contempt proceedings should not be initiated against him for failing to ensure compliance with the court's order. The DGP has also been directed to file an affidavit explaining the delay and the steps taken to install CCTV cameras in police stations.

A division bench comprising Chief Justice M.S. Sonak and Justice Rajesh Shankar has fixed September 17 for the next hearing.

The court also reiterated its direction to the state government to install CCTV cameras in police stations within four weeks. The Chief Secretary and Home Secretary have been directed to submit a compliance report regarding the installation by September 30.

The bench made it clear that senior officials must treat the court's directions seriously. It also stressed the importance of CCTV surveillance in police stations, particularly in view of allegations of custodial violence and the need for greater accountability in police custody.

The matter came up during the hearing of a suo motu public interest litigation initiated by the High Court following allegations that Tarun Mahto, a former Jharkhand Loktantrik Krantikari Morcha (JLKM) candidate, was assaulted while in police custody.

During the previous hearing, the court had sought details from the Superintendent of Police, Seraikela-Kharsawan, on the steps taken to install CCTV cameras in police stations in the district. The court had also sought a response from the Principal Secretary, Health Department, regarding action taken against the medical officer who had certified Mahto as "fit for custody" when he was produced before the court.

However, no response regarding action against the concerned medical officer was presented during Thursday's hearing. The court expressed its displeasure over the government's failure to provide the requested information.

The case stems from an alleged custodial assault involving Mahto. According to the allegations, Ichagarh police took him into custody on the night of November 19, 2025, and he was allegedly subjected to severe physical assault and third-degree torture at the police station.

Following the incident, Mahto's wife wrote to the Chief Justice of the High Court, prompting the court to take suo motu cognisance of the matter. In an earlier hearing, the court had also directed the Seraikela-Kharsawan SP to appear with relevant documents.

Mahto had contested the 2024 election from the Ichagarh constituency as a JLKM candidate. The High Court's latest intervention puts the spotlight once again on the importance of CCTV coverage in police stations, not only as a monitoring mechanism but also as a safeguard against alleged custodial abuse and a means of ensuring accountability.
 

Advertisement