Are all police stations in Tamil Nadu retaining CCTV footage for 18 months? Madras High Court asks DGP
The Madras High Court has ordered the Tamil Nadu Director General of Police to explain why some police stations are failing to retain CCTV footage for the mandated 18-month period. The inquiry follows a petition from a police officer who sought footage to defend himself against corruption allegations.
Why it matters
This case underscores the importance of judicial oversight in ensuring police accountability and the preservation of evidence in corruption investigations.
The Madras High Court has directed the Tamil Nadu Director General of Police to clarify whether the CCTV footage of cameras installed inside police stations is being retained for a period of 18 months, and asked why the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (V&AC) office in Coimbatore retains the footage only for 15 days.
Justice V. Lakshminarayanan wanted the DGP to submit a report in this regard by September 10, 2026, and underlined that retaining the footage even for a minute less than 18 months would amount to a breach of the orders passed by the Supreme Court as well as a Division Bench of the High Court.
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