Warden held for supplying mobiles in jail

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, February 21

The Central Jail authorities have arrested a jail warden for supplying mobile phones to notorious criminals.

The police recovered seven mobile phones from the accused, identified as Gurcharan Singh, a jail warden and a resident of Chamba Dhaeywala in Tarn Taran.

A case under Sections 420, 120-B of the IPC and 42, 52-A of the Prisoners’ Act was registered against him on the statement of Assistant Superintendent, Jail, Joginder Singh.

Joginder told the police that four mobile phones were recovered from his custody during checking while three were confiscated from his residence. He was nabbed following a tip-off.

Preliminary probe revealed that he used to take anything from Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000 for sneaking in mobile phones to the criminals lodged in the jail. He had been posted here for the past many years.

It is evident to mention here that in June last year the police had arrested a pharmacist of the Health Department, identified as Rajesh Kumar, on similar charges.

The problem of use of mobile phones inside the high security Central Jail has been a concern for police and intelligence officials. In the recent past, videos of gangsters have surfaced in social media, suggesting rampant use of smart phones by them. Security and Intelligence agencies had expressed concern as it was dangerous for the national security too.

The Central Jail also houses foreign nationals, including Pakistan and Bangladesh. Many notorious smugglers were also lodged in the high security jail complex.

An official of the Central Jail, preferring not to be named, said every step was being taken to nail the errants.