Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The PHQ is going to review the installation of CCTV cameras at every police station of the state. The PHQ has to submit a report to the High Court in a reply of a petition, said the officials here on Monday.

The High Court, Jabalpur, had directed the police to ensure that CCTV cameras with audio recording are installed in each room of all police stations in the next three months. In an order dated October 21, a single Bench of Justice GS Ahluwalia, hearing a case of police brutality, issued directions to the Director General of Police (DGP), saying that any black spot in police stations in future will attract contempt of court proceedings against the officers concerned.

The court’s order came after hearing a writ petition filed by a resident of Anuppur district and a manager at a local factory, who had alleged that he was illegally detained by the police at Bhalumada station in September 2023 over a dispute between villagers and the factory management.

  Sources to the PHQ said shortly the department is going to serve the letter to all the superintendent of police about the status of the CCTV cameras at the police stations. The HC has asked the DGP to submit a completion report to the court before February 18, 2025.

The state has more than 1,100 police stations and many of them lack CCTV cameras. Interestingly, several police stations have cameras, but they are ‘non-functional’, because of certain reasons. And in some police stations the camera can record video, but not voice.