With this directions, the court disposed of a PIL filed by Jagega Gujarat with demand to equip all police stations with CCTV cameras to curb custodial torture. The HC first directed the government to do so on November 8, 2012, and the authorities began the exercise.
After installation of four to six cameras in some of the police stations, the government decided to install eight cameras in each of the police station. It floated tenders for cameras with night vision and high definition. This change in plan deferred the completion of the project.
In July, the government intimated that HC about its changed plans and issuance of tender. It also sought further time for completion of project, said petitioner's advocate Rashmin Jani.
During hearing of the PIL, the lawyer took up the issue of custodial torture by citing a TOI report on a city crime branch police inspector Paresh Solanki beating up businessmen in custody at the DCB, crime's headquarters in Gaekwad Haveli. The lawyer complained that many a times, the cops convert civil disputes into criminal complaint and in the present case of beating the businessmen; the cop had actually assumed the task of extortionist.
The government was to equip 562 police stations with CCTV camera across the state. Of them, it installed cameras in above 200 police stations by August 2013. As the tendering process was initiated in June this year, the government hoped to finish installation in all police stations by year end.
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