Bengaluru: The High Court on Tuesday June 28 directed the Director General of Police (DGP) to make body cameras available to all police officers, who are authorised to make arrests, to show the manner of arrests.
The court also ordered the State Government to pay Rs. 2 lakh compensation to a youth who was unlawfully handcuffed by the Ankali Police in Belagavi in a case involving a bounced check. This was one of many directions given by the court to police officers and trial courts on handcuffing accused undertrial prisoners, or convicts.
The court said that the camera should be equipped with a microphone. The video with audio recording should be retained for a year. An SOP should be prepared by the DGP and training provided to arresting officers.
Justice Suraj Govindaraj granted the government the right to recover the compensation amount from the negligent authorities after granting the petition submitted by Suprit Ishwar Divate, a farmer from Yadur of Chikodi in the Belagavi District.
“The petitioner has claimed Rs. 25 lakh as compensation. It cannot be awarded taking into consideration he was a student and the arrest was made in furtherance of an NBW which had been issued. The arrest being proper, the question being handcuffing not being required, I deem it fit to award `2 lakh as compensation,” it said.