Mohana Arunagirinathan v. The Honble Principal District Judge
BEFORE THE MADURAI BENCH OF MADRAS HIGH COURT DATED : 24.03.2026
CORAM
THE HONOURABLE MR.JUSTICE G.R.SWAMINATHAN and THE HONOURABLE MS.JUSTICE R.POORNIMA Mohana Arunagirinathan ... Petitioner Vs.
1.The Honble Principal District Judge, Nagercoil.
Kanyakumari District.
2.The State of Tamil Nadu, Represented by the Inspector of Police, Thuckalay Police Station, Kanyakumari District.
... Respondents Prayer : Writ Petition filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, praying this Court to issue a Writ of Mandamus, directing the learned Principal District Judge to preserve the CCTV footage on the occurrence dated 06.01.2024 at about 10.00 am to 11.00 am before the learned Judicial Magistrate Court No.I, Thuckalay and further direct the 1/6
2nd respondent police to conduct the enquiry and consider the petitioner's complaint dated 06.01.2024 in CSR No.36/2024. For Petitioner : Mr.S.Ramakrishnan For Respondents : Mr.Mahaboob Athiff for R1 Mr.M.Sakthi Kumar, Govt. Advocate (Crl. Side) for R2
ORDER
(Order of the Court was delivered by G.R.Swaminathan, J.) Heard both sides.
2.The writ petitioner was attending trial proceedings in connection with C.C.No.108 of 2023 on the file of Judicial Magistrate No.I, Thuckalay on 06.01.2024. His specific case is that inside the Court campus, he and his wife were attacked by some lawyers and some unknown persons. In this regard, the petitioner lodged a complaint before the second respondent. Crime No.27 of 2024 was registered by the second respondent. Subsequently, final report was filed and it was taken on file as S.T.C.No.1125 of 2024 on the file of the Judicial Magistrate, 2/6
Padmanabhapuram. The petitioner had made a request on 08.01.2024 for copy of the CCTV footage. This request was made to the learned Principal District Judge, Kanyakumari. The High Court had issued a circular that unless the request comes from the investigating officer or the Court concerned, CCTV footage maintained by the Court shall not be shared. Request in this case came from the investigating officer only on 14.02.2024.
3.The learned standing counsel for the Registry informs us that the storage capacity of the CCTV in the concerned Court is only for 18 days and since the footage was not taken within this period, it is no longer available.
4.Therefore, we have no other option but to dismiss this writ petition. But then, we are bound to issue a direction for future guidance and compliance. Whenever request of this nature is made by an interested party when the CCTV footage is available, steps must be taken to preserve the footage so that as and when request comes from the investigating agency or the Court concerned, it could be made available. 3/6
5.This writ petition is dismissed with the aforesaid direction. No costs.
(G.R.S. J.,) & (R.P. J.,) 24.03.2026 NCC : Yes/No Index : Yes / No Internet : Yes/ No ias To:
1.The Principal District Judge, Nagercoil.
Kanyakumari District.
2.The State of Tamil Nadu, Represented by the Inspector of Police, Thuckalay Police Station, Kanyakumari District.
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G.R.SWAMINATHAN, J.
and R.POORNIMA, J.
ias 24.03.2026 6/6