Bhaskar Exclusive: Police asking people to keep CCTV for 15 days will now have to maintain it for 30 days

Police issue notifications for installation of CCTV cameras in malls, multiplexes, commercial centres, hotels, toll plazas, multi-storey buildings, etc. It also instructs to keep the recording for 15 days. However, despite instructions to preserve cctv footage of the police station, in most cases, the police avoid giving footage inside the police station in a yenken way. A man was allegedly molested by snatching his phone at Shaharkotda police station. Against which the person made a representation to the Gujarat Information Commission to get CCTV footage. The commission had directed the police department to conduct a departmental inquiry and penal action in case the footage is destroyed and implement the circular of CCTV footage of the general administration department. It has also ordered that if the RTI is filed within 30 days of the incident, then the footage should be preserved properly. In this case, the police submitted that the footage could not be given as the recording was deleted due to a technical fault. Even though the General Administration Department (GAD) has issued a circular stating that if the RTI is done, the footage should be preserved till the disposal of the second appeal, but the officers and employees of the police station do not give the footage by putting forward any reasons. The Commission said, "Now if there is a mistake, departmental action will be taken. The footage has to be preserved for 30 days. The commission made it clear that if an RTI application is received within 30 days of the incident, cctv footage has to be preserved. In case of failure to do so, the Commission will initiate action on departmental enquiry under Section 20 and order action under the Gujarat State Service (Discipline and Appeal) Rules, 1971. The commission directed the police to issue a re-circular In its judgment, the Commission has directed the Director General of Police and the Chief Police Officer to re-issue the instructions given earlier and inform all officers and employees.