43K calls made from 2 phones in Ferozepur jail drug racket: High Court

Saurabh Malik

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Chandigarh, December 21

The Punjab and Haryana High Court today took cognisance of more than 43,000 calls made from two mobile phones from Ferozepur Central Jail before asserting that every attempt was being made to help officials, who provided shelter to drug smugglers in prison and whose involvement was writ large in the matter. The assertion came as Justice NS Shekhawat directed the Punjab Special DG, Internal Security, to remain present in the court on the next date of hearing.

SSOC ‘failed’ to supervise probe

• Justice NS Shekhawat asks the Punjab Special DG, Internal Security, to remain present in the court on the next date of hearing
• 0Says in nine months, no efforts made to ascertain the names of the jail officials involved in the case
• 0Raps the state special operation cell (SSOC) for apparent failure to supervise the investigation

Justice Shekhawat also rapped the state special operation cell (SSOC) for apparent failure to supervise the investigation. The admonition came after a specific query was put to the state counsel on questions posed to two accused on jail officials’ involvement in a matter as a “drug racket was being run from Ferozepur Central Jail”.

Justice Shekhawat asserted that the FIR in the matter was registered on March 28. Thereafter, two persons were arrested and their police remand was obtained. It was apparent that questions were not put to the accused on the jail officials’ involvement. Apparently, every attempt was made by the investigating officer to shield the guilty jail officials. Efforts were not made by the SSOC, Fazilka, during the past nine months to even ascertain the names of the jail officials involved in the case.

Referring to an affidavit filed by the Additional Director-General of Police, Prisons, Justice Shekhawat asserted that it was clear that three accused lodged in the jail were provided phones and SIM cards by co-accused. The mobile phone used by one of them remained active from March 1, 2019, to March 31, 2019, at a single location –– Ferozepur Central Jail. As many as 38,850, calls were made from the number. Another mobile remained active in the jail from October 9, 2021, to February 14 this year and 4,582 calls were made by using the number.

“Several other mobile numbers also remained active during this period and hundreds of calls were made from the jail by the persons involved in the drug racket. Surprisingly, the SSOC, Fazilka, is conducting the investigation for the past nine months and the investigation is not making any headway. It is apparent that not only jail officials, but officials of the SSOC, Fazilka, have also colluded with the accused named in the present case,” Justice Shekhawat asserted.

Before parting with the matter, Justice Shekhawat added that the SSOC was constituted to investigate the special crimes in the state. However, “shockingly” there appeared to be no supervision of any investigation by the Fazilka SSOC and by any higher officer at the state level as well. The Bench also took note of an assurance by ADGP, Prisons, Arun Pal that the inquiry being conducted against the jail officials would be taken to its logical end.