The Jharkhand High Court has directed the state government to finalise the technical bid for the installation of CCTV cameras in all police stations across the state by November 20. The court also sought a progress report on the tender process for installing the cameras.
In addition, the court directed the government to submit an affidavit placing on record the report of the jail superintendent regarding the alleged assault on Tarun Mahto in police custody. The next hearing in the case has been scheduled for November 23.
During the hearing, Advocate General Rohit Rai informed the court that the technical bids for the CCTV installation tender were opened on November 3, 2026, and were currently being examined and evaluated. He assured the court that the process would be completed soon, paving the way for the commencement of the tender process for installing CCTV cameras.
The state government also produced before the court the report submitted by the jail superintendent concerning the alleged custodial assault on Tarun Mahto. The court directed that the report be formally placed on record.
Advocate Ritesh Kumar Mahto appeared on behalf of the petitioner. The case was heard by a division bench comprising Chief Justice M.S. Sonak and Justice Manoj Prasad.
Tarun Mahto had contested the 2024 Assembly elections from the Ichagarh constituency as a candidate of the Jharkhand Loktantrik Krantikari Morcha (JLKM).
On the night of November 19, 2025, Ichagarh police allegedly took him into custody and brought him to the police station, where he was brutally assaulted. The police allegedly subjected him to third-degree torture while he was in custody.
Following the incident, his wife wrote to the Chief Justice of the Jharkhand High Court, bringing the alleged custodial torture to the court's attention. The High Court subsequently took suo motu cognisance of the matter.
During an earlier hearing, the court had also summoned the Seraikela-Kharsawan Superintendent of Police along with relevant documents in connection with the case.