9 prison officials, doctor held in call-from-jail scandal, Punjab and Haryana High Court told

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Chandigarh, July 13

Just about seven months after the Punjab and Haryana High Court took cognisance of over 43,000 calls made from two mobile phones in Ferozepur Central Jail, the state of Punjab has informed the Bench that nine prison officials and a doctor have been arrested.

Justice NS Shekhawat was also told by the state that IPS officer J Elanchezhian was investigating the matter. The Bench directed the state counsel to file the latest status report on the investigation through the officer’s personal affidavit. Additionally, the state counsel was ordered to place on record the complete final investigation report under Section 173 of the CrPC.

Justice Shekhawat took note of the state counsel’s request for more time to confirm whether Punjab had appointed a special public prosecutor to handle the case in the trial court.

The case is scheduled for further hearing on July 25. The Bench directed the investigating officer to be present in court with the entire record. Justice Shekhawat had previously observed that attempts were being made to aid officials who provided shelter to drug smugglers in prison, noting the significant involvement of these officials in the case.

At that hearing, Justice Shekhawat also criticised the State Special Operation Cell (SSOC) for its apparent failure to supervise the investigation, particularly after a specific query was made to the state counsel regarding questions posed to two accused about jail officials’’ involvement in the “drug racket run from Ferozepur Central Jail.”