Effectively Implement SC Order On Installation, Maintenance Of CCTVs In Police Stations: Tripura High Court Directs State

The Division Bench comprising the Chief Justice M. S. Ramachandra Rao and Justice Biswajit Palit directed the State to implement the directions of the Supreme Court in Paramvir Singh Saini v.Baljit Singh & Ors. (2021) in letter and spirit including not only installation of CCTVs in the police stations but also make the Officer-in-Charge of the police station concerned responsible for their working, maintenance and recording.

“We may point out that this Court was able to intervene effectively in the matter only because there was CCTV footage available on what transpired inside the East Agartala Police Station on the intervening nights of 04.04.2026 and 05.04.2026," the court observed.

It thus issued the following directions

1. The directions of the Supreme Court in Paramvir Singh Saini's judgment shall be implemented in letter and spirit by the respondents, who shall not only install CCTVs in the police stations as directed in the said judgment, but also make the Officer-in-Charge of the police station concerned responsible for their working, maintenance and recording.
2. If the CCTVs are not functioning in a particular police station, the concerned Officer-in-Charge of Police Station (P.S.) has to inform the District Level Oversight Committee (DLOC) headed by Divisional Commissioner and others of the arrest/interrogation carried out in that police station during the said period, and forward the said record to the DLOC without fail.
3. If the concerned Officer-in-Charge of P.S. has reported malfunctioning or non-functioning of CCTVs of a particular police station, the said Committee shall immediately request the State Level Oversight Committee (SLOC) for repair and purchase of the equipment, which shall be done immediately.
4. The Officer-in-Charge of P.S. has to be made responsible for the CCTV data maintenance, backup of data, fault rectification, etc.

Referring to a LiveLaw report on a suo motu case concerning the lack of functional CCTV cameras in police stations across the country, the court said:

“In a proceeding reported on “Live Law” legal portal on 04.09.2026, there is reference to certain observations of the Supreme Court wherein the Supreme Court observed with regard to availability of funds being paid by the Union Government under the Assistance to States and Union Territories for Modernization of Police (ASUMP) scheme.”

The court was hearing a woman's plea who had alleged that her was forcibly taken by an employee of the Agartala Municipal Corporation and by another person and Special Police Officer of East Agartala Police Station, and that he was assaulted, tortured in the presence of the police personnel. 

The State had earlier, submitted before the Court that relevant actions have been taken against the said persons and the police personnel who allegedly assaulted the petitioner's son.

However, the Court highlighted another incident of assault was alleged to have taken place at police station, the CCTV footage was not available, and it was brought to the Court's notice that three days before the date of the incident and three days after the date of the incident, the CCTV inside the police station was non-functional.

The plea was disposed of. 

Case Title: Ratna Roy v. The State of Tripura

Case No.: W.P. (Crl.) No. 6 of 2026