Delhi High Court Upholds Secrecy of Special Branch Manual

The Delhi High Court has ruled that the Special Branch manual of Delhi Police, containing sensitive information, is exempt from disclosure under the RTI Act. Revealing this could jeopardise the functioning and future investigations of the police. The court dismissed a petition seeking its disclosure.

The Delhi High Court has declared that the details of the Special Branch manual, which includes sensitive and confidential information, cannot be disclosed under the Right To Information (RTI) Act. This ruling underscores the significance of maintaining the secrecy of law enforcement operations.

According to the court, making such information public would not only hinder the performance of the Special Branch of Delhi Police but could also endanger ongoing and future investigations. Justice Sanjeev Narula rejected a petition requesting the release of the Special Branch manual, asserting it falls under the category of 'exempted information' in the RTI Act.

The decision to exempt this information stems from the high court's judgment that releasing these confidential procedures may reveal tactical insights into law enforcement operations, potentially compromising their integrity. The court highlighted the necessity to balance public interest with the state's need to protect sensitive security-related procedures.

(With inputs from agencies.)