The Allahabad High Court has sharply criticised Deoria police over allegations of illegal detention involving four people, questioning the absence of CCTV recordings and the explanation offered by police officials for their non-availability.

A bench comprising Justice Atul Sreedharan and Justice Divesh Chandra Samant expressed strong dissatisfaction with the responses of the Deoria district police chief and the SHO of Gauri Bazaar police station during the hearing on Wednesday.

The court also directed the Uttar Pradesh government to pay Rs 65,000 to the four petitioners. The amount is to be recovered from the salary of the SHO concerned.

Court questions missing CCTV footage

The case arose from a Habeas Corpus petition alleging that four people had been unlawfully detained at Gauri Bazaar police station between April 13 and April 23, 2026.

The High Court had directed police authorities to produce CCTV recordings from inside the station so that the allegations could be examined.

However, the SHO informed the court that the recordings were unavailable because of an alleged technical problem with the CCTV system during the relevant period.

The bench then asked whether a General Diary entry had been made about the CCTV system being non-functional or about its repair. The SHO replied that no such entry had been made.

The response drew strong criticism from the court, which described the officials as a "bunch of liars".

When the Deoria SP apologised to the court, the bench made it clear that the apology should be directed towards the affected people.

"Apologise to the people not to court," the bench said.

Bench questions action against SHO

The court also questioned the Deoria SP about what disciplinary action had been taken against the SHO.

Justice Sreedharan asked whether the SHO had been suspended or terminated and questioned his suitability for continuing in the police service.

The SP informed the bench that the SHO had been transferred to the Crime Branch. The court was not satisfied with this response and questioned why stronger action had not been taken if the officer had been found responsible.

The hearing therefore raised questions not only about the alleged detention but also about the internal accountability of police officials responsible for maintaining records and CCTV systems.

Court examines CCTV funding

The bench also examined the state government's compliance with the Supreme Court's requirement for CCTV coverage at police stations.

According to the affidavit placed before the court, more than Rs 46 lakh had been released for police stations in Deoria district for the CCTV system. However, the affidavit did not specify when the funds had been released.

The High Court described the date of release as "essential and vital" information.

The judges also noted that some of the actions cited by the district authorities were dated August 14, 2026, after the High Court's August 4 order.

The bench observed that, prima facie, the authorities appeared to have taken action only after the petition was filed and the court passed its order.

Questions over CCTV contractor payment

The court further questioned why the agency responsible for installing or maintaining the CCTV system had allegedly received the full payment despite the work not being completed.

The bench questioned the decision to release the entire amount on the basis of an assurance and pointed out that the contractor could instead have faced action such as blacklisting.

The proceedings placed the implementation and monitoring of CCTV infrastructure in Deoria police stations under scrutiny, alongside the allegations concerning the detention of the four petitioners.

The court's observations also highlighted the importance of maintaining functioning surveillance systems and proper records at police stations when allegations of unlawful detention are brought before the judiciary.