Cops allowed to videograph Shakti Mill gang-rape accused

In order to ensure that the Shakti Mill gang-rape accused are not attacked inside court premises by members of organised crime syndicates, the Mumbai police have been granted permission to videograph them while they are being produced in court.

Principal Judge S Phansalkar Joshi, who is presently hearing the cases registered against the four accused, have granted permission on the application made by the police. As per the application, intelligence reports have revealed that there is a possibility of the accused being attacked by members of an organised crime syndicate when being produced in court, or in prison and hospital. Thus, there’s a need to videograph the accused. 

The court by its order dated October 26, 2012 allowed the police to record in video the movements of the accused. 

Additional public prosecutor Anuradha Mane said, “It’s a sensitive case and the move was based on specific intelligence inputs for the protection of the accused.”  

After the submission of the session’s court order before the high court by advocate Mane, the court noted: “This permission, however unusual, cannot cause prejudice to the accused. It is up to every judge to control his/her courtroom and takes steps to ensure a free and fair trial to the accused.”

Joint commissioner of police (crime) Himanshu Roy said: “We will comply with the instructions of the honourable court.”

Crime branch sources said that they had received information some time ago that there were some suggestions given to the members of the underworld by their superiors to hammer the Shakti Mill gang rape accused inside prison.