Supreme Court's Strong Stand Against Custodial Deaths
The Supreme Court of India delivered a powerful message on Tuesday, describing custodial deaths as a "blot on the system" that the country can no longer tolerate. The court expressed serious displeasure with both the central and state governments for their failure to comply with previous orders mandating the installation of CCTV cameras in police stations and offices of central investigating agencies.
Poor Compliance Despite Court Orders
A bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta showed clear frustration when informed that only 11 states had filed compliance affidavits regarding CCTV installation. The court learned that six central agencies - NIA, DRI, CBI, ED, NCB, and SFIO - had completely ignored the apex court's directive.
Senior advocate Siddharth Dave, serving as amicus curiae in the case, presented the disappointing compliance report to the court. The revelation prompted the bench to declare firmly: "Now, this country will not tolerate this. This is a blot on the system. You can't have deaths in custody."
Government Response and Court Deadline
The court observed that the Centre appeared to be taking its orders lightly by not ensuring compliance. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, present in the courtroom, offered some resistance by suggesting that CCTV surveillance inside police stations could be "counterproductive to investigation." However, he acknowledged the binding nature of the court's judgment and could not argue against it.
Mehta assured the Supreme Court that the government would file its response and requested three weeks' time. The court granted this request, setting a deadline of December 16, 2025 for all states, union territories, and central agencies to submit their compliance affidavits.
The court issued a stern warning: if compliance affidavits are not filed by the specified date, the principal secretary and director of respective central agencies must appear personally before the court to explain their failure to obey both previous orders and today's directive.
AI Monitoring Proposed for Better Oversight
In response to the increasing number of custodial deaths, the Supreme Court has taken suo motu cognizance of the matter. The court has proposed an innovative solution involving artificial intelligence to monitor all installed CCTV cameras. This system would automatically alert concerned authorities whenever a camera is switched off or becomes non-functional, ensuring continuous surveillance and accountability.
This move represents a significant step toward modernizing oversight mechanisms and preventing human rights violations in custody facilities across the country.
