Orissa High Court Directs State to Install CCTV Cameras in All Police Stations and Outposts by March 2025, Closes Suo Motu PIL on Bharatpur Police Station Incident
Safiya Malik
The Orissa High Court has closed a suo motu public interest litigation concerning an incident at Bharatpur Police Station in Bhubaneswar, directing the State of Odisha to ensure the installation and integration of CCTV cameras in all police stations and outposts by March 31, 2025. The case was adjudicated by Chief Justice Chakradhari Sharan Singh and Justice Savitri Ratho. The court recorded that the State had taken significant corrective measures following the incident, including a comprehensive plan for the installation, maintenance, and oversight of CCTV surveillance in police stations.
The case originated from an incident on September 15, 2024, when an army officer and his fiancée visited Bharatpur Police Station to lodge a complaint against miscreants who had allegedly harassed them. The duo, however, became subjects of a First Information Report (FIR) lodged by the police, which accused them of attempting to murder police personnel. The fiancée was arrested, and the army officer was allegedly detained for several hours. The incident led to widespread outrage, prompting the intervention of military authorities. A letter dated September 18, 2024, from Lieutenant General P.S. Shekhawat, AVSM, SM, General Officer Commanding, Madhya Bharat Area, addressed to the Chief Justice of the Orissa High Court, requested judicial intervention. The communication alleged police misconduct, including physical assault, wrongful confinement, and violations of human rights.
The High Court took suo motu cognizance of the matter and directed an inquiry into the allegations. The State informed the court that the case had been transferred to the Crime Branch of Odisha Police and that a separate case had been registered based on the complaint of the army officer. Additionally, a judicial inquiry was initiated under the Commissions of Inquiry Act, 1952, led by Justice C.R. Dash, a retired judge of the Orissa High Court.
During the proceedings, the court was informed that Bharatpur Police Station did not have functional CCTV cameras, despite Supreme Court directives in D.K. Basu v. State of West Bengal and Paramvir Singh Saini v. Baljit Singh & Others. The Advocate General submitted that while 559 out of 650 police stations in Odisha were equipped with CCTV cameras, some newly constructed stations lacked such facilities. The court directed the Additional Director General of Police (Modernization), Odisha, to conduct a statewide assessment and submit a report on the status of CCTV installations.
The report, filed on October 8, 2024, revealed that out of 593 police stations in Odisha, 456 had non-functional CCTV cameras. The court was subsequently informed that, following its intervention, CCTV systems in all but 13 police stations had been restored. The court recorded that a structured three-tier supervision system had been introduced, comprising police station-level monitoring, district-level oversight committees, and a centralized monitoring system at the state police headquarters.
The State Government formulated a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) on the arrest and interaction with members of the armed forces in police stations. The SOP mandated that police personnel treat defense personnel with courtesy and ensure their grievances were addressed promptly. It also specified that no armed forces personnel could be arrested without prior approval from a competent military authority, except in cases involving heinous crimes such as murder or rape.
In its final order, the High Court directed that all police stations and outposts in Odisha be fully equipped with CCTV cameras and integrated with the central monitoring system by March 31, 2025. The court also ordered that the SOP on the treatment of armed forces personnel be strictly implemented and circulated in the Odia language to ensure awareness among police personnel. The State Government was instructed to ensure compliance with the commitments made in court.
The court placed on record its appreciation for the assistance provided by Senior Advocate Gautam Mishra, who appeared as Amicus Curiae, as well as Advocate General Pitambar Acharya. The court acknowledged the proactive role of Additional Director General of Police (Modernization), Odisha, in implementing the court’s directives.
The writ petition was disposed of accordingly.
Advocates Representing the Parties
For the Petitioner: Gautam Mishra, Senior Advocate (Amicus Curiae), assisted by A. Dash, Advocate.
For the Opposite Parties: Pitambar Acharya, Advocate General; Saswat Das, Additional Government Advocate.
Case Title: Registrar Judicial, Orissa High Court, Cuttack v. The State of Odisha & Ors.
Case Number: Suo Motu W.P.(C) No. 23735 of 2024
Bench: Chief Justice Chakradhari Sharan Singh, Justice Savitri Ratho
[Read/Download order]
