Bhopal:

In an unusual financial strain, police stations across Madhya Pradesh have been spending thousands of rupees on pen drives every month. The reason? A new legal mandate under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) requires all case-related evidence – statements, crime scene recordings, and forensic data – to be submitted in a pen drive, and not through CDs or paper records.

While digitisation aims to streamline legal proceedings, the burden of purchasing these storage devices has landed squarely on the shoulders of police personnel, who often find themselves paying out of their own pockets. With an 8GB pen drive costing roughly around ₹300, and investigations often requiring multiple devices, the change in norm has become a source of concern across stations.

“You Have to Do It, Sir!”

Sub-Inspector BS Kalpuria at Bhopal’s Kotwali Police Station has been serving for years and now investigates multiple cases under the new law. But the shift from paper to digital evidence has come at an unexpected cost.

One case requires at least three pen drives to put together the evidence.

“You have to do it, sir!” Mr Kalpuria said. 

The Digital Shift – An Expensive Affair

Under Section 65B(4) of the Indian Evidence Act, any electronic evidence, including pen drives, must come with a certificate verifying its authenticity. Previously, CDs were used, but they have become difficult to find and use, forcing police to switch to pen drives. 

The Bharatiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) of 2023 has provisions for recording evidence through audio-visual means. This includes recording crime scenes. 

According to the BNS, particularly Section 105, evidence collected during a search and seizure operation must be recorded via audio-video electronic means, like a mobile phone, and stored on a device like a pen drive, essentially making the pen drive a medium to present the recorded evidence in court; this is mandated to ensure transparency and accountability in the investigation process. 

Constable Pushpendra Prajapati echoed the struggle: “Earlier, CDs worked fine, but now we have to buy pen drives. Sometimes, we have to pay from our own salary.”

Constable Joginder Singh added: “At least three pen drives are required per case, costing between ₹500-₹600. Right now, we’re managing from our own pockets.”

Case Files on Pen Drives: A Costly Change

Sub-Inspector Prem Narayan (30) acknowledged the administrative burden. “Each case requires a minimum of two pen drives – one for the court and one for our records. If the accused’s lawyer demands a copy, we need a third. We buy them ourselves because evidence collection is our responsibility,” he said. 

Since July 1, 2024, every police station has had to purchase its own pen drives. Each time a case is registered, the victim’s and witnesses’ statements are recorded on video and stored in a pen drive, which is then presented in court along with all case documents.

Top Cop Acknowledges Shortage

Bhopal Police Commissioner Harinarayanchari Mishra admitted a resource constraint.

“Resources are being arranged, but initially, some police stations may face difficulties. The process of procuring equipment is ongoing,” he said. 

Legal professionals said the police should not have to bear this financial burden.

Government advocate Rajendra Upadhyay said: “The police are struggling because they lack a formal budget for pen drives. Yet, all evidence must now be submitted electronically.”

Retired DGP SC Tripathi said: “If pen drives were made mandatory, arrangements should have been in place. The government spends crores on welfare schemes like ‘Ladli Behna,’ yet police stations don’t have funds for a ₹300 pen drive!”

A recent Union Home Ministry report revealed that between July 1 and September 3, 2024, 5,56,000 FIRs were registered under the new penal code – an average of 7,400 FIRs per day. At this rate, police stations across Madhya Pradesh alone would need to spend ₹25 lakh every month on pen drives.

Technology is making legal proceedings more efficient but the cost of implementation has clearly caught law enforcement off guard. Until the government formally allocates a budget for this, policemen will continue to foot the bill for their own investigations – one pen drive at a time.

Chhatarpur, Madhya Pradesh:

A probe is underway after a Dalit sanitary worker alleged thrashing by police personnel in Khajuraho town of Madhya Pradesh for overtaking their official vehicles, an officer said on Tuesday.

The complainant, Rohit Valmiki, alleged he had overtaken vehicles of personnel belonging to the police and electricity departments on July 18 while heading home on a motorcycle.

Mr Valmiki claimed in the complaint, dated July 20, that some policemen accused him of driving recklessly and abused him.

He was taken to a police station and thrashed, Mr Valmiki’s brother alleged.

Superintendent of Police Agam Jain said the Sub Divisional Officer of Police (SDOP) is investigating.

“Statements of the concerned persons are recorded. We will take strict action after investigation,” he told reporters.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Bhopal:

Madhya Pradesh police have registered a case against the son of state minister Narendra Shivaji Patel after he was caught in a brawl in Bhopal’s Shahpura area Saturday night. It is alleged that Abhigyan Patel and his friends assaulted a journalist, a restaurateur couple and their employee during an altercation sparked by a road accident.

Following the incident, minister Patel rushed to Shahpura police station with his aides late on Saturday night. There, Abhigyan and his friends alleged that they were tortured by policemen. Thereafter, four cops were suspended and an inquiry ordered. Mr Patel is Minister of State for Public Health and Medical Education. Abhigyan is learnt to appear in state functions on behalf of his minister father.  

Restaurateur Alisha Saxena has said in her complaint that it all started when a car hit the motorcycle of journalist Vivek Singh. When Mr Singh shouted out to the car driver, asking him to drive properly. Soon, Abhigyan and his friends stepped out of the car and allegedly beat up the journalist. Ms Saxena intervened and Abhigyan allegedly thrashed her with a rod. Her husband and one of their employees were beaten up when they rushed to save her, she has said.

Police have registered a case under Indian Penal Code sections relating to voluntarily causing hurt and criminal intimidation, among others.

Police have registered a counter FIR against the Saxenas and others on a complaint by the minister’s son, who has accused them of assault.

Senior police officer Mayur Khandelwal said the medical examination of those involved has been conducted and further probe is on. On the suspended cops, he said an inquiry is on and further steps will be taken as per the findings.

State Congress president Jitu Patwari has hit out at the state government over the incident. “This is anarchy. Police did not register an FIR on the journalist’s complaint of assault. The woman got six stitches on her head, Section 307 (attempt to murder) should have been invoked. The SSP does not even know that four cops have been suspended, but it is a headline in newspapers. Lowering the morale of police personnel and supporting crime has become the policy of this government,” he told news agency ANI.

Addressing Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, he said, “You appear helpless when family members of your ministers intimidate people. Please take such action that people have faith in law.”

Guna:

A 25-year-old man belonging to the nomadic community Pardi died after he was shot for resisting a bid to allegedly kidnap his sister in Madhya Pradesh’s Guna district, an official said.

The incident took place in the Dharnavada area, about 40 km from the district headquarters, police said.

Dharampal Pardi was shot in the foot by a person after he objected to an alleged attempt to kidnap his sister, said Sub-Inspector Rajendra Singh, the in-charge of Dharnavada police station.

A profusely bleeding Dharampal was rushed to a nearby hospital, which referred him to Bhopal for better medical care.

The victim died while being taken to the state capital, he said.

Police have registered a case of murder against seven to eight individuals and efforts are on to nab them, the official said, adding that the crime seems to be the fallout of an old enmity.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Betul:

A head constable has been suspended for allegedly beating up two youth tied with ropes in connection with a theft case in Madhya Pradesh’s Betul district, police said on Monday.

The incident took place in Desli village under Mohda police station limits last week and a video of it surfaced on social media platforms on Sunday, an official said.

In the video, the two young men are seen tied with ropes and being beaten up by a policeman with a plastic pipe in front of some shops while some persons are standing nearby.

Additional Superintendent of Police Kamla Joshi said the video of head constable Kamta Prasad Keer thrashing the two persons in connection with a mobile phone theft case came to their notice on Sunday.

Taking cognisance of the video, the Betul superintendent of police has suspended Keer, who was posted at the Damjipura police post, Joshi said.

A probe is being conducted into the incident, she added.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Bhopal:

After Jai-Veeru politics in Madhya Pradesh, state police have also played a filmy stroke to make citizens aware in view of the increasing cyber crimes.

The state police has morphed a dialogue of Shahrukh Khan starrer movie ‘Om Shanti Om’ to make residents of the state to be sensible about the importance of an OTP (One Time Password).

Sharing the video on X (formerly twitter) on Wednesday evening from the official handle of Madhya Pradesh Police on the occasion of Karwa Chauth, they wrote, “Keep your OTP as safe as husband.”

In the shared video, it could be heard that, “Ek OTP ki kimat tum kya jano Ramesh babu (What do you know about the cost of an OTP, Ramesh Babu?).” While the original dialogue in the movie is, “Ek chutki sindoor ki kimat tum kya jaano Ramesh Babu.”

सुहाग सा सुरक्षित रखें अपना OTP! #MPPolice#SecureYourOTP#HappyKarwaChauth2023#NeverShareYourOTPpic.twitter.com/iobeBJVPgK

— Madhya Pradesh Police (@MPPoliceDeptt) November 1, 2023

The state police has been continuously making efforts in making people aware about the increasing crimes in the state and also active in controlling the cyber crimes in the state.

Recently, Bhopal cyber police busted a gang involved in duping people by cloning their ATM cards and arrested two persons, including a Romanian citizen in connection from New Delhi.

Apart from this, the reel characters of famous superhit Bollywood movie ‘Sholay’ have found a real character space in the Madhya Pradesh politics. Recently, a Congress leader has compared the friendship of former chief ministers Kamal Nath and Digvijaya Singh as ‘Jai-Veeru’ while the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is claiming the duo as thieves.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)