SC directs Centre to install CCTV cameras in offices of CBI, ED, NIA, other probe agencies

Agencies
December 3, 2020

New Delhi, Dec 3: The Supreme Court directed the Centre on Wednesday to install CCTV cameras and recording equipment at the offices of investigating agencies, including the CBI, the ED and National Investigation Agency (NIA), which conduct interrogations and have the power of arrest.

A bench headed by Justice R F Nariman said that states and Union Territories (UTs) should ensure that CCTV cameras are installed at each and every police station, at all entry and exit points, main gate, lock-ups, corridors, lobby and reception as also areas outside the lock-up rooms so that no part is left uncovered.

The apex court had in 2018 ordered installation of CCTV cameras in police stations to check human rights abuses.

It said further that the CCTV systems must be equipped with night vision and have audio as well as video footage and it shall be mandatory for the Centre, states and UTs to purchase such systems which allow storage of data for maximum period possible, at least one year.

In addition, the Union of India is also directed to install CCTV cameras and recording equipment in the offices of: Central Bureau of Investigation, National Investigation Agency, Enforcement Directorate, Narcotics Control Bureau, Department of Revenue Intelligence, Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO), any other agency which carries out interrogations and has the power of arrest, said the bench, also comprising Justices K M Joseph and Aniruddha Bose.

As most of these agencies carry out interrogation in their office(s), CCTVs shall be compulsorily installed in all offices where such interrogation and holding of accused takes place in the same manner as it would in a police station, the bench said in its order.

The top court said that in September this year, it had impleaded all the states and UTs in the matter to find out the exact position of CCTV cameras in each police station as well as constitution of Oversight Committees in accordance with the April 3, 2018 order.

The apex court, while dealing with a matter related to custodial torture, had in July this year taken note of a 2017 case in which it had ordered installation of CCTV cameras in all the police stations to check human rights abuses, videography of crime scene and setting up of a Central Oversight Committee and such a panel in every states and Union Territory.

In its 12-page order, the bench noted that till November 24, compliance affidavits and action taken reports were filed by 14 states and majority of them have failed to disclose the exact position of CCTV cameras in each police station and other details.

It said that state level oversight committee (SLOC) must consist of secretary or additional secretary of home department, secretary or additional secretary of finance department; director general or inspector general of police and chairperson or member of the state women's commission.

It said district level oversight committee (DLOC) should comprise of -- divisional commissioner or regional commissioner or revenue commissioner division of district, district magistrate and superintendent of police and mayor of a municipality within the district or head of zilla panchayat' in rural areas.

It also specified the duties of SLOC which included purchase, distribution and installation of CCTVs and equipment, obtain budgetary allocation for the same.

It said DLOC shall have the obligations including interact with station house officer (SHO) about its functioning and to review footage stored from CCTVs in various police stations to check for any human rights violation that may have occurred but are not reported .

It said adequate funds be allocated for this by the states and UTs at the earliest.

It said duty and responsibility for working, maintenance and recording of CCTVs shall be of the SHO of police station concerned.

It said in areas where there is either no electricity or internet, it shall be the duty of states and UTs to provide the same expeditiously using any mode of providing power, including solar or wind.

Whenever there is information of force being used at police stations resulting in serious injury and/or custodial deaths, it is necessary that persons be free to complain for a redressal of the same, it said.

It said SLOC and central oversight body shall give directions to all police stations and agencies to prominently display at the entrance and inside police stations, offices of investigative agencies about the coverage of concerned premises by CCTV and this shall be done by large posters in English, Hindi and vernacular language.

It shall further mention that CCTV footage is preserved for a certain minimum time period, which shall not be less than six months, and the victim has a right to have the same secured in the event of violation of his human rights, it said.

It said authorities would implement its order both in letter and in spirit as soon as possible.

The bench, which posted the matter for hearing on January 27, said that affidavits be filed within six weeks by principal secretary or cabinet secretary or home secretary of each states and UTs giving a firm action plan with exact timeline for compliance with the order.

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News Network
February 5,2025

Belagavi: In a horrific act of rage, a man brutally stoned his wife to death at Upparatti village in Gokak taluk of Karnataka on Tuesday night. 

The accused, Balaji Kabali from Maharashtra, has been arrested, police said.

Kabali, along with his wife Meerabai (25) and family, worked as sugarcane harvesters. Following a heated altercation, he fatally attacked Meerabai before making video calls to relatives.

A heartbreaking scene unfolded as their two-year-old child was seen trying to wake up his mother, unaware of the tragedy.

Authorities have launched a detailed investigation into the incident.

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Agencies
February 3,2025

The Indian rupee plummeted to a historic low of 87.29 per dollar on Monday. This decline is attributed to escalating trade tariffs imposed by US President Donald Trump amid global market uncertainties.

Having already depreciated over 1.5% this year, the rupee's latest tumble is regarded as a repercussion of tariff measures enforced by the US government. The currency opened with a substantial gap-down of 43 paise, hitting a low of 87.29 before rebounding to 87.13 following a Reserve Bank of India (RBI) intervention. 

Currency expert KN Dey explained to ANI that the tariff war, ignited by the US against Canada, Mexico, and China, is responsible for the rupee's decline. KN Dey noted, "Rupee opened with a gap of 43 paisa which was one of the highest gap openings, touched a new low of 87.29, but is now trading at 87.13 due to RBI intervention."

The situation remains fluid as President Trump has also hinted at possible tariffs on BRICS nations, including India. KN Dey cautioned, "Though Trump has been threatening BRICS countries also, it remains as to when he would press the button. This could be a knee-jerk reaction on the Rupee, but it's better to wait and watch for a couple of days." 

On a broader scale, this pressure on the rupee is mirrored by a strengthening US dollar against global currencies. Monday saw the Canadian dollar and Mexican peso dip to multi-year lows and the Chinese yuan weaken to a historic low. The US government announced an imminent 25% tariff on imports from Canada and Mexico and a 10% tariff on Chinese goods.

Market analysts suggest this may be a short-term reaction, with investors advised to observe how circumstances develop. The unfolding situation is anticipated to shape market movements significantly.

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News Network
February 5,2025

trumppresident.jpg

Americans have taken to the streets in Washington, D.C., protesting President Donald Trump’s scheme to take "long-term ownership" of the Gaza Strip.

“Gaza Strip is not for sale,” the protesters shouted on the city’s streets on Wednesday.

Speaking at the White House on Tuesday alongside Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump had claimed that the United States would oversee clearing up of destroyed buildings, removing of unexploded ordnance, and “resettling” of Palestinians elsewhere.

"The US will take over the Gaza Strip, and we will do a job with it too. We’ll own it," he had purported.

‘Deploying American troops to Gaza’

Trump’s announcement came after the Israeli regime failed to realize its objective of forcing Gaza’s entire population to leave for neighboring Egypt, despite taking the coastal sliver under a war of genocide for over 15 months, during which the regime killed way upwards of 61,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children.

Despite offering few details on how the scheme would be implemented, Trump suggested that displaced Palestinians could be sent to "other countries of interest with humanitarian hearts."

He also left open the possibility of deploying American troops in Gaza, stating, "If it’s necessary, we’ll do that."

‘New Riviera’

Trump predicted the war-ravaged Gaza Strip, home to more than two million Palestinians, could become “the Riviera” of the West Asia as he announced his plan to take control of it.

"The Riviera of the Middle East. This could be something that could be so magnificent," Trump said as he again voiced hopes that Palestinians could be removed from Gaza, and said the United States would redevelop the territory.

‘Recipe for chaos’

The so-called plan, which Trump described as a "long-term ownership position," was met with immediate condemnation from Palestinian groups.

The Gaza-based Palestinian resistance movement Hamas called it a "recipe for chaos and tension in the region" and vowed that "our people in the Gaza Strip will not allow these plans to pass."

The group’s denouncement came amid predictions that the proposal could escalate tensions in the region and spark new waves of resistance across the Palestinian territories and beyond.

Some regional states, including Saudi Arabia, likewise firmly rejected any attempt to displace Palestinians, citing the Palestinian nation’s demand for establishment of their own independent state.

Trump’s comments also drew criticism from various activists and experts. Omar Baddar, a political analyst, slammed the announcement, saying, "He’s essentially declaring the destruction of Palestinian society and the scattering of its people."

American congresswoman Rashida Tlaib called out Trump for "openly calling for ethnic cleansing."

International law experts and human rights organizations have, meanwhile, raised concerns over the legality of Trump's proposal, warning that forced displacement and foreign occupation of Gaza would violate numerous international treaties and conventions.

"This plan disregards the rights of the Palestinian people and sets a dangerous precedent for unilateral land grabs," said Abed Ayoub, executive director of the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC), a US-based civil rights organization.

Netanyahu, however, praised Trump as "the greatest friend Israel has ever had" and suggested that the scheme could "change history."

The ICC-wanted Israeli official’s trip to the US has already conjured up strong denouncement on the part of various regional and international organizations, figures, and groups over war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.

Separately, Trump cast doubt on the stability of a ceasefire agreement between the Israeli regime and Hamas that is expected to end the genocide.

"The [Israeli] strikes could start tomorrow. There’s not a lot left to strike," he said amid Tel Aviv’s regular violations of the deal.

He also alleged that the “American-led plan” would lead to the war-wracked Palestinian territory’s “transformation.”

Critics, though, have argued that Trump's proposal could be intended to divert attention from ongoing controversies surrounding his administration, while US Senator Chris Murphy has called it a "reckless distraction from domestic issues."

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