Delhi Police circular cancels LG Saxena’s notice on virtual court appearances
In a circular, Delhi Police Special Commissioner Devesh Srivastava states that all officers must physically appear in court to give evidence after lawyers protest
The Delhi Police on Monday (September 9) clarified that all police officials must appear in person before Delhi courts for deposition or recording of their evidence.
A circular to this effect was issued by Devesh Chandra Srivastava, Special Commissioner of Police (Crime).
Also Read: Delhi Police Commissioner replaced after attack on CM Rekha Gupta
LG notifies video depositions
On August 13, Delhi LG VK Saxena issued a notification designating all police stations in the city as venues for police personnel to present evidence and depose before courts via video conferencing.
It allowed police personnel to record evidence and depose in criminal trials from police stations via video conferencing.
The notification triggered massive protests by lawyers across Delhi's district courts and at the Delhi High Court, with various lawyer groups, including the Bar Council of India, headed by BJP MP Manan Kumar Mishra, urging Union Home Minister Amit Shah to intervene.
Also Read: TMC pans Delhi Police for calling Bengali ‘Bangladeshi language’
Lawyers launch protests
Upon Shah's intervention the notification was partially scaled back on September 4, with the Delhi Police issuing a circular clarifying that only formal police witnesses will be examined through video conferencing from police stations.
The September 4 order mandated recording of evidence physically in courts while allowing deposition to be made via video conference.
Lawyer groups, however, continued with their demand for a full withdrawal of the LG Saxena's notification.
Also Read: Delhi Police launch 'Nayi Disha' initiative to bring dropouts back to schools
LG Saxena's notification withdrawn
On Monday, the September 4 order was further modified to restore the earlier system of physical depositions in court by the police, thereby withdrawing LG VK Saxena's August 13 notification. Police personnel will have to appear physically in court for recording of evidence and deposition as earlier.
The Special Commissioner issued a circular stating, “In partial modification of the earlier letter…dated 04.09.2025, it is hereby directed that in all criminal trials, all police officers/personnel shall physically appear before the Hon'ble Courts for the purpose of deposition/evidence. This has the approval of Commissioner of Police, Delhi.”