Custodial torture, death; SC to consider suggestions of amicus

The Supreme Court today said it will consider recommendations, like installation of CCTV cameras in police stations and prisons, to prevent custodial torture and death across the country.
"We will look into the recommendations," a bench headed by Justice T S Thakur said when senior advocate A M Singhvi, who is the amicus curiae in a 1986 PIL, gave a slew of suggestions for preventing custodial torture and death of accused.
During the hearing, Singhvi said measures like installation of CCTV cameras in police stations and jails across the country, constitution of human rights commissions and surprise visits of jails and lock-ups by the non-official people would considerably reduce the cases of custodial torture and death.

"Every state should set up State Human Rights Commission (SHRC) in terms of Section 21 of the Protection of Human Rights Act within a period of six months," he said, adding that states like Delhi, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Tripura and Nagaland do not have SHRC.
He also said that an order can be passed to ensure that the posts of chairperson and members of SHRCs do not remain vacant beyond three months.
Singhvi suggested that states with the concurrence of the Chief Justices of High Courts should constitute human rights courts in districts.

"Installation of CCTV cameras in all police stations and prisons throughout the country in a phased-manner will significantly check human rights abuse therein," he said, adding Bihar has agreed and has already installed CCTV cameras in all prisons and in 44 police stations in the state. Tamil and Haryana have also agreed to this proposal.

To ensure that no atrocities are meted out to the arrested accused, it is necessary that "independent and non-official persons be appointed to conduct regular and random inspection of police stations and prisons," he said.
Singhvi submitted that "mandatory" criminal proceedings for the offence of murder be initiated against erring cops if initial inquiry establishes the culpability in the case of custodial death.