Kerala HC allows police to access call data records of Covid-19 patients

The Kerala High Court on Friday closed a public interest suit filed by Leader of the Opposition in the State Assembly Ramesh Chennithala seeking to quash a police circular directing collection of call data records of Covid-19 patients.

The court allowed the state government’s submission that it planned only to collect the records of the tower locations of the cell phones being used by patients.

A division Bench, comprising Chief Justice S Manikumar and Justice Shaji P Chaly, directed the state government and police to ensure strict confidentiality of the call detail records (CDR) collected and also to ensure that they were not accessed by any third parties as affirmed before the court.