BENGALURU: The Director General and Inspector General of Police (DG&IGP) has issued a new Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) mandating uniform investigation protocols in cases of custodial violence and custodial deaths across the state, citing lapses in evidence collection, delayed FIRs, and procedural irregularities by investigation officers.
In his order issued on May 16, the DG&IGP directed all police officers, including those with the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), to strictly follow time-bound and evidence-based procedures to ensure impartial investigations in such sensitive cases. Any delays in collecting physical and digital evidence often result in deterioration of crucial material, hampering justice delivery and judicial scrutiny, the order stated.
As per the SOP, officers in police stations must immediately register cases of custodial violence or death either on complaints by victims or relatives or suo motu without any delay. Copies of FIRs must be forwarded to senior officers and the chief office.
The SOP mandates that senior officers appoint an officer not below the rank of deputy superintendent of police (DySP) to ensure independent investigation until the CID takes over the case. Investigating officers are directed to immediately conduct spot mahazars, seize CCTV footage, collect medical records, and record statements of victims and witnesses through audio-video means.
In custodial death cases, the SOP mandates mandatory judicial magistrate inquiries, videography of inquest and autopsy proceedings, forensic examination, and collection of biological and digital evidence. Investigators are instructed to send samples to the forensic science laboratory in two days.
The CID officers taking over the probe must verify earlier records, collect electronic evidence such as DVRs, CDRs, and CCTV footage, examine witnesses afresh, and seek prosecution sanction before filing charge sheets against accused police personnel.