KOCHI: Crucial CCTV footage has gone missing from Thrissur high-security prison, prompting a special court for NIA cases in Ernakulam to order a detailed probe into jail officials over suspected lapses in handling evidence.
The recent direction came from Special Judge P K Mohandas while considering petitions filed by the third accused in an NIA case, who alleged ill-treatment by jail officials during his custody in 2023.
The accused claimed that officials entered his cell on the morning of June 5, 2023, and misbehaved with him, including kicking away his food. However, a forensic examination of CCTV data revealed that the most crucial segment of the recording – between 9.10am and 9.17am – was missing.
The footage placed before the court consisted of two separate clips: one ending at 9.10am and the other beginning at 9.17am, leaving a gap that coincides with the time of the alleged incident.
The order pointed out that the footage was extracted and produced only after judicial intervention, and not as a continuous recording. It further noted that the clips were copied at different points in time rather than preserved in their original form, raising questions about how the evidence was handled.
“If there was nothing to hide, the jail authorities could have produced the entire recording as a single file,” the court observed, indicating that relevant visuals may not have been placed before it.
At the same time, the court found that the specific allegation that the prisoner’s food was kicked away was not supported by the available visuals. It also flagged inconsistencies in the petitioner’s account, including a later claim that it was water, not food, that was kicked.
Even so, the order underscored serious lapses on the part of prison authorities. The failure to preserve and produce complete CCTV footage of the relevant period, it noted, cast doubt on the handling of evidence in a high-security facility.
The court also flagged the delay in forwarding the accused’s complaint, which remained with prison authorities for over a month before reaching the court.
“The failure on the part of the jail authorities in preserving and producing the CCTV footage of the relevant period creates serious doubts in the mind of the court,” the order stated.
Finding that the available material was insufficient to conclusively establish what transpired inside the cell, the court said a detailed inquiry was necessary to uncover the sequence of events.
It directed the director general of prisons and correctional services to conduct a probe through a subordinate officer, ensure that the accused is heard, and take action against any officials found responsible. It sought a report on completion of the inquiry.
“While the court’s order may help deter misconduct by prison officials, recovering the missing footage could prove difficult, as steps might be taken to shield those involved. It is hoped that the court will take appropriate action,” said a former inmate of the prison familiar with the case.