PRAYAGRAJ, Jan. 6 -- The Allahabad high court has directed the Uttar Pradesh director general of police (DGP) to issue standard operating procedure (SOP) for mandatory audio-video recording of all police searches and seizures and preparation of seizure lists on the e-Sakshya portal or through mobile phones.

Justice Arun Kumar Singh Deshwal passed the order on Monday while allowing the bail plea of Shadab, an accused in a theft case involving the alleged recovery of 40 motorcycles.

The court noted that the police had failed to record the search and seizure process as mandated under Section 105 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) and Rule 18 of the UP BNSS Rules, 2024.

Observing that failure to comply with this legal require...