PATNA HC ORDERS PRESERVATION OF EVIDENCE

PATNA HC ORDERS PRESERVATION OF EVIDENCE

24-JULY-ENG 11

RAJIV NAYAN AGRAWAL

ARA------------------------The Patna High Court has issued a significant order regarding the high-profile Bharat Tiwari encounter case in Bihar, directing the state government to file its response within three weeks. The court has ordered the preservation of all crucial evidence, including CCTV footage, Call Detail Records (CDR), station diaries, wireless logs, body-worn camera footage, and post-mortem records. The next hearing for the case is scheduled for August 28, 2026. The court emphasized the need to secure this evidence to ensure that the investigation and judicial process proceed in a fair and transparent manner.

Following this order, all eyes are now on the Bihar government's response; the proceedings are expected to advance once the government files its reply. The High Court explicitly stated that no vital evidence related to the investigation should be destroyed or tampered with. Specifically, the court directed the preservation of CCTV footage, CDRs, station diaries, wireless logs, police body-camera footage, post-mortem reports, and other available evidence. The court holds the view that the preservation of evidence is a critical component of the judicial process in any sensitive case, making it essential to secure all records to facilitate a fair investigation.

Next hearing on August 28; focus on government's response. Varsha Singh remarked that this court order is a significant step towards ensuring a fair hearing for the case. The Bharat Tiwari encounter case has already been a subject of considerable public discussion. In this context, the Patna High Court's order is being viewed as a significant step in the hearing process. It will now be crucial to see what response the Bihar government files in court within the stipulated three-week period and what stance the court adopts regarding the matter during the next hearing scheduled for August 28, 2026.

The Patna High Court has set August 28, 2026, as the date for the next hearing. Advocate Varsha Singh, representing Bharat Tiwari, also confirmed that the next hearing would take place on that date. All eyes will now be on the Bihar government's response and the court's subsequent actions during the upcoming hearing.

Varsha Singh, a senior advocate practicing in the Supreme Court and High Court, shared details of this significant order in a video released on social media. She stated that this was the first High Court hearing concerning the Bharat Tiwari police encounter case. According to her, the court treated the matter seriously, directing that all evidence be preserved and ordering the Bihar government to file its response within a set timeframe.