Lit & clean lock-ups, functional washrooms, running water, coolers in summer & heaters in winter: Facilities that Delhi top cop wants for those in police custody 

The order (see box) reiterates that every person in police custody must be treated with humanity, irrespective of the nature of the offence. Custodial facilities, it underlined, must meet minimum standards of health, hygiene, safety and decency. The responsibility for ensuring humane conditions has been fixed on the Station House Officer (SHO) of the concerned police station.

Senior officers said the order is intended to ensure uniform standards across the Capital and to minimise lapses arising from ambiguity in existing provisions. By consolidating scattered rules into a single directive, the police seek to strengthen accountability and reinforce the principle that custody does not mean deprivation of dignity.

The February 13 order was issued after a PIL was moved before the Delhi High Court in November 2025, highlighting the absence of food, drinking water, hygiene arrangements, overnight resting facilities and bedding and other basic facilities for those in police custody. While the HC had not passed any order, it had, however, directed the Delhi government to disclose guidelines, circulars, administrative instructions or rules which govern how individuals are to be questioned or detained in police custody.

The Delhi government, in an affidavit on January 21, submitted that while it has guidelines in place for “cleanliness and appearance” of police stations, on arrest of individuals, it had formed a committee chaired by Special CP of provisioning and finances division “to examine the current procedures for handling arrested persons and detainees” in police stations.

In the order, duties have been clearly delineated – the duty officer will oversee day-to-day custodial care, including food, water and hygiene; the SHO will be responsible for overall compliance; night gazetted officers must verify custodial facilities during inspections; and inspecting officers are required to treat lock-ups as a mandatory component of formal inspections. Also, all inspections must be documented.

Further, custodial care and humane treatment will now form part of basic police training, with periodic refresher courses to emphasise constitutional safeguards as well as custodial ethics and legal responsibilities.

On the financial front, the order clarified that expenses on food and other essential requirements will be met through authorised budget heads under the Delegation of Financial Powers Rules, 2024. While cleaning materials, medicines and medical supplies will be drawn from ‘Materials & Supplies’ head, housekeeping, pest control, refreshments and drinking water will fall under ‘Office Expenses’.

Reiterating that each police station has access to Rs 2 lakh as imprest money, the order outlined procedures laid down for reimbursement of probe-related expenses. Proper maintenance of expenditure records for audit purposes has been made mandatory.

In July 2023, Sheikh Sahadat (36) had died in Delhi Police custody. According to police, he and four others were arrested in a case related to the Arms Act. While a court had sent the others to judicial custody, Sahadat was remanded to police custody for a day when he died. Last year, a Delhi court had ordered a probe into the custodial death.

Lock-up conditions

• Capacity of each lock-up to be displayed
• Lock-ups to be adequately lit, clean and habitable
• Overcrowding to be avoided
• Each detainee is to be supplied bedding as per Punjab Police Rules – ordinarily one mat and one blanket during summer and three blankets during winter
• Bedding must be washed, sun-dried and aired regularly

Food, water and hygiene

• Fixed per-detainee diet amount to be followed
• As far as practicable, meals to be arranged through police station mess
• Food from relatives may be accepted
• Safe and potable drinking water must be available at all times
• Clean utensils to be maintained hygienically
• Lock-ups, toilets and wash areas must be cleaned regularly
• Functional toilets and running water to be ensured
• Sanitation staff to be provided adequate cleaning materials and uninterrupted water supply

Gender sensitivity

• Female detainees to be treated with dignity and privacy
• Sanitary napkins must be provided on request or where required
• All procedures relating to search, escort and handling must strictly comply with legal provisions and established guidelines

Medical safeguards

• Any person found ill or injured at the time of arrest, or who falls ill during custody, must be medically examined at the earliest opportunity
• Seriously ill or injured detainees are to be shifted to hospitals
• Medical reports and treatment records must be properly maintained
• Desert coolers in summer and heaters in winter to be installed outside lock-ups
• During extreme weather conditions, additional arrangements to be made