Pharmacist caught sneaking in pills in jail

In a significant security breach at Kapurthala Modern Jail, a pharmacist was apprehended while attempting to smuggle a large quantity of intoxicant pills and banned capsules into the prison premises. The suspect, identified as Sanjeev Kumar, was intercepted by jail authorities and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) during a routine check. As many as 2,600 intoxicant tablets have been recovered from the pharmacist, 200 of which are banned capsules.

This recent seizure is in line with repeated recoveries of mobile phones and tobacco products from the jail. Days before this recovery, 477 tobacco pouches were also recovered from the jail on May 12 and between May 22 -24, as many as 13 mobile phones have been recovered from the jail.

According to officials, recently arrested pharmacist Sanjeev Kumar had arrived at the jail on his scooter to report for duty. Based on suspicion, authorities conducted a thorough inspection of his vehicle. During the search, a plastic container was discovered inside the scooter’s storage compartment, containing approximately 2,600 intoxicant tablets. Additionally, a wax-sealed packet was found to contain 200 banned capsules.

Assistant Superintendent of the jail, Satpal Singh, immediately reported the matter to senior officials and the Kotwali police. Acting on the report, the police registered a case against Kumar under section 22 of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and relevant sections of the Prisons Act.

While the Tower for Harmonious Call Blocking System (THCBS) at the jail has so far proven inadequate to prevent recent breaches at the jail, auhtorities said new jammers will be out soon to make the call blocking system at jail doubly effective.

Superintendent, Kapurthala Jail, Shyamal Jyoti said, “It is true that mobile phones, tobacco pouches have been found from the jail recently as the pharmcist has been arrested with intixocating tablets, but the number of such incidents being reported at the jail has significantly reduced, compared to earlier. The THCBS system is also effective only against 4G and new systems will be brought in for the 5G system to prevent any calls to and from the jail.”

The Superintendent said the Kapurthala jail had a 2.5 km outer cordon area through which such elements had also been throwing in intoxicants etc. The jail authorities have also sought a buffer zone to rein in such elements.

Meanwhile, Kapurthala SHO Kirpal Singh confirmed that the accused was produced before the local court, which has granted a three-day police remand. “Our primary focus during the remand will be to trace the source of the seized substances and identify any possible recipients within the jail,” the SHO said.