The Madras High Court has appreciated Director General of Police (DGP) Shankar Jiwal and Greater Chennai Commissioner of Police Sandeep Rai Rathore for having decided to set up Specialised Investigation Wings (SIWs) in 12 police stations in the city to investigate serious offences such as murder, dacoity and robbery.
Justices M.S. Ramesh and N. Anand Venkatesh recorded their appreciation after State Public Prosecutor Hasan Mohamed Jinnah said, the SIWs would be established in Seven Wells, Royapuram, Basin Bridge, Taramani, Mambalam, Nandambakkam, Thousand Lights, Kilpauk, Abhiramapuram, Choolaimedu, Peravallur and Valasaravakkam stations.
The SPP stated that these 12 police stations in Chennai city would be in addition to the 11 Taluk police stations across the State and the entire Coimbatore Police Commissionerate where the SIWs had already begun to function on court directions and had shown noticeable difference in investigating heinous crimes.
The judges also commended a committee chaired by an Additional Director General of Police in the Crime Branch-Criminal Investigation Department for having come up with a draft digital evidence manual that could serve as a ready reckoner for the police personnel while handling electronic devices such as hard disks containing CCTV footages.
After taking note of a status report filed by the DGP with respect to the steps taken to expand the SIWs to other police stations as well as the progress made on creating the digital evidence manual, the judges asked the SPP to ensure that a further status report regarding the progress made by all SIWs was filed in the court by September 22.
