{"id":7770,"date":"2025-08-29T05:02:28","date_gmt":"2025-08-29T05:02:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/?p=7770"},"modified":"2025-08-29T05:06:52","modified_gmt":"2025-08-29T05:06:52","slug":"procedure-seizing-cctv-recordings-as-evidence-indian-courts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/procedure-seizing-cctv-recordings-as-evidence-indian-courts\/","title":{"rendered":"Procedure for Seizing CCTV Recordings as Evidence in Indian Courts"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The use of CCTV footage as evidence has become increasingly important in Indian courts. The <strong>Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023 (Section 57)<\/strong> marks a significant change by classifying electronic records as <strong>primary evidence<\/strong>, simplifying their use in judicial proceedings.<\/p><div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #0c0c0c;color:#0c0c0c\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #0c0c0c;color:#0c0c0c\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/procedure-seizing-cctv-recordings-as-evidence-indian-courts\/#Preliminary_Steps_Legal_Authority\" >Preliminary Steps &amp; Legal Authority:<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/procedure-seizing-cctv-recordings-as-evidence-indian-courts\/#Acquisition_and_Documentation\" >Acquisition and Documentation:<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/procedure-seizing-cctv-recordings-as-evidence-indian-courts\/#Authentication_and_Certification\" >Authentication and Certification:<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n<p>When seizing CCTV footage, law enforcement must follow a strict procedure to ensure its admissibility in court.<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Preliminary_Steps_Legal_Authority\"><\/span>Preliminary Steps &amp; Legal Authority:<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>The first step is for the Investigating Officer (IO) to locate the exact source of the CCTV footage (DVR\/NVR system) and identify its owner. They must act quickly to prevent the footage from being overwritten, as most systems automatically delete old data. A written order may be issued to the system&#8217;s owner to preserve the footage.<\/p>\n<p>The seizure is carried out under the authority of <strong>Section 106 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023<\/strong>, which permits the confiscation of property related to an offense. If necessary, a search warrant must be obtained under <strong>Section 94 BNSS<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Checklist:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Identify the location and ownership of the CCTV system.<\/li>\n<li>Note the date, time, and system details (e.g., brand, model).<\/li>\n<li>Ensure independent witnesses are present during the seizure.<\/li>\n<li>Secure the footage to prevent it from being overwritten.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Acquisition_and_Documentation\"><\/span>Acquisition and Documentation:<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The method of acquisition depends on the situation. The entire DVR\/NVR unit may be seized, or a forensic copy of the footage can be extracted onto a reliable storage medium (like a USB drive or external hard disk) using <strong>write-blocking technology<\/strong> to protect the original data.<\/p>\n<p>Every step of the seizure and transfer must be meticulously documented in a <strong>Panchnama<\/strong> (seizure memorandum) in the presence of witnesses.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Checklist:<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>Secure the original device or extract a forensic copy of the footage.<\/li>\n<li>Take photographs or video of the seizure process.<\/li>\n<li>Record the chain of custody with signatures of all parties present.<\/li>\n<li>Document the precise details of the footage, including its duration, camera angles, and file format.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Authentication_and_Certification\"><\/span>Authentication and Certification:<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>For the footage to be accepted in court, it must be accompanied by a certificate as per <strong>Section 63(4) of the BSA, 2023<\/strong> (previously Section 65B of the Indian Evidence Act). This certificate must be issued by the person in legitimate control of the device (such as an IT manager or system owner).<\/p>\n<p>To guarantee the footage&#8217;s authenticity, its unique digital hash values (e.g., <strong>MD5, SHA-1, SHA-256<\/strong>) should be generated and recorded in the seizure memo. This acts as a digital fingerprint to ensure the data has not been altered.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Checklist:<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>Obtain a <strong>Section 63 BSA Certificate of Authenticity<\/strong> from the system&#8217;s custodian.<\/li>\n<li>Generate and document the cryptographic hash values of the copied footage.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Preservation and Submission to Court:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The seized device or media must be sealed in a tamper-proof evidence bag, clearly labelled, and securely stored in the &#8216;malkhana&#8217; (police evidence locker).<\/p>\n<p>Finally, the seized evidence, along with the seizure memo and the authenticity certificate, is submitted to the court. If needed, the footage may be sent to a forensic laboratory for detailed analysis or enhancement.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Checklist:<\/strong><\/li>\n<li>Seal and label the seized device\/media clearly.<\/li>\n<li>Store it in a secure digital evidence locker.<\/li>\n<li>Forward it to the court with the seizure memo and certificate.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>This meticulous procedure ensures that CCTV footage, a powerful piece of evidence, can be presented in court while meeting the strict legal standards for authenticity, reliability, and integrity.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The use of CCTV footage as evidence has become increasingly important in Indian courts. The Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023 (Section 57) marks a significant change by classifying electronic records as primary evidence, simplifying their use in judicial proceedings. When seizing CCTV footage, law enforcement must follow a strict procedure to ensure its admissibility in court.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":49,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_bbp_topic_count":0,"_bbp_reply_count":0,"_bbp_total_topic_count":0,"_bbp_total_reply_count":0,"_bbp_voice_count":0,"_bbp_anonymous_reply_count":0,"_bbp_topic_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_reply_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_forum_subforum_count":0,"two_page_speed":[],"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"_joinchat":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[66],"tags":[28],"class_list":{"0":"post-7770","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-cyber-law","7":"tag-top-news"},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7770","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/49"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7770"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7770\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7770"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7770"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.legalserviceindia.com\/Legal-Articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7770"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}