HC seeks details of CCTV cameras installed at police stations, prisons across AP

Vijayawada: The high court on Monday directed the state director general of police (DGP) and director general (DG) of prisons to submit details on CCTV cameras installed in police stations and prisons across the state. The court also asked them to provide information on how many of the installed cameras are in working condition and how many need to be replaced.Advocate Thandava Yogesh moved the high court with a public interest litigation (PIL) petition seeking directions to install CCTV cameras in all police stations and prisons in accordance with the directions of the Supreme Court. The petition was filed in 2019, and the high court had directed the then state govt to comply with the apex court orders without any complacency.Yogesh recently filed a contempt petition as the orders of the high court were not complied with even after the lapse of more than four years. Arguing on behalf of the state govt, special govt pleader T Vishnu Teja submitted that as many as 10,000 CCTV cameras were installed in 1,001 police stations across the state. He said in 81 jails, as many as 1,752 CCTV cameras were installed, and the maintenance of these cameras was given to two agencies. Vishnu Teja further stated that because of Covid-19, the installation of CCTV cameras was delayed. Considering his arguments, the HC bench comprising Justices R Raghunandan Rao and K Maheswara Rao directed the DGP and DG prisons to submit the details of CCTVs installed, those in working condition, and the additional cameras either to be installed or replaced, before posting further hearing of the matter to Dec 23.