Smart phone for Rs 1L & keypad for Rs 20K in Amritsar Central Jail

PK Jaiswar

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, January 9

Continuous seizure of mobile phones from the high-security Amritsar Central Jail has raised a question mark over the functioning of the jail administration.

In the last two days, a search operation led to the confiscation of the 19 mobile phones from 16 prisoners, indicating that how easily the prohibited material was available in the complex. A total of 60 mobile sets were seized in the first eight days.

The interrogation of several prisoners held with cell phones also points to the connivance of jail staff though close proximity of the Central Jail with a densely-populated area is another factor in sneaking of mobile phones inside the high-security jail premises. The absence of stringent laws is also to blame for the menace.

An official, wishing not to be named, privy to the interrogation of prisoners held with mobiles said a smart mobile phone was being sold for Rs 1 lakh in the complex while a keypad phone was available at Rs 20,000 to Rs 25,000.

“Possessing a mobile phone in the jail is a bailable offence. Hence, notorious criminals hardly think twice before procuring mobile phones by hook or crook,” said the official, adding that installing the mobile signal jammer was the only solution to end this menace.

A search operation on Friday evening led to the seizure of eight mobile phones and three mobile chargers. These were recovered from the possession of Sukhraj Singh of Chak Pandori village, Nishan Singh of Bundala in Ferozepur, Sahil Kumar Sharma of Greenfield area here, Jobanjit Singh of Bandala village Jang Bahadur Singh, aka Jagga Singh of Chohla Sahib in Tarn Taran, Rasal Singh of Randhel ke village in Tarn Taran and Sandeep Saini of Taragarh in Pathankot.

Another search operation on Saturday led to the recovery of 11 mobile phones, two mobile chargers and a headphone set. These were confiscated from Jagroop Singh of Vaironwal, Tarn Taran, Rahul Singh of Kirpal Colony, Abhinesh of Gopal Nagar, Manpreet Singh of Muradpura in Tarn Taran, Dhalwinder Singh of Jamari village in Goindwal Sahib, Gurjit Singh of Sultanwind Road, Yodhbir Singh of Ranike village, Gurpreet Singh, alias Gurpartap Singh, of Patti and Ravinder Singh of Algo Kalan village in Valtoha.

Two separate cases under Sections 42 and 52-A of the Prisons Act was registered against them. The police said they would be brought on production warrant to ascertain how they managed to get the prohibited material.

A jail official said continuous search operations were being conducted to nail the perpetrators. Those who were found in possession of prohibited material, including mobiles, appropriate action would be taken against them.