Punjab, Haryana cops don’t want to disclose mobile numbers, HC says resistance ‘strange’

“…resistance to such directions being given is found to be strange, the implication being that the events shown in FIRs are not actually accurate (which is why there is opposition to body camera being used and mobile phone details being avoided to be provided),” reads the order.

Concerned over regular instances of registration of false FIRs by police, the court has mooted that it should be made absolutely mandatory for all police parties – whether on patrolling, on investigation, or for any other purpose – to disclose their mobile numbers in the DDR “to determine as to whether the story given in the FIRs is actually authentic or not, with the mobile tower locations of those mobile phones to be verified wherever there is a doubt as to whether what is stated in the FIR is correct or not”. Alternatively, the court has suggested a separate register can also be maintained for the purpose, if the police may not want it to part of DDR due to security concerns.

Explaining the rationale behind the suggestion, the court has said many a time video recordings have been produced before the court in criminal cases, especially drugs cases, showing the accused being picked up from their homes and other places, whereas the FIRs shows them to have been apprehended at completely different places. With regard to recording of mobile phone numbers in a register showing the time of departure and arrive of police officials, the court has said in some cases it has been found that the accused were actually picked up one or two days prior to the dates shown in the FIR.

Haryana previously has cited a practical difficulty in implementation of such order. Punjab has said disclosure of the mobile phone numbers would create operational difficulties. While seeking presence of the top police officers, the court has said the proceedings on next date of hearing can be held in camera if necessary.

The court has also said that the register containing the mobile phone numbers can even be protected from disclosure under the RTI Act and such information can be made available to only courts to correlate it with the DDR entries and the location of the policemen to “establish the timing of any apprehension of a criminal or offensive material etc from a particular place at particular time”.

On use of body cameras, the court has said it will not pass a direction since the issue is pending before Supreme Court. However, the court has observed that it can be a effective method to try and ensure that innocent persons are not picked up by the police officials. The body camera can also have a satellite up-link to the server for immediate uploading, the court has said.