Bathinda jail warder provided cellphones to inmates, arrested

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, April 29

The investigation into the viral video of 13 inmates from Bathinda Central Jail has revealed that jail warder Baljit Singh provided cellphones, including the one used to record the video, to them.

Bathinda SSP Gulneet Singh Khurana said during the interrogation of the inmates, the name of Baljit cropped up and a case was registered against him.

He said after knowing about the registration of an FIR, the jail warder remained absent from duty. He said the jail warder had been arrested.

The SSP added that Baljit was an alcoholic and provided mobile phones and other things to inmates in lieu of money. Khurana, however, termed the allegations levelled by the inmates in the video against the jail officials completely false.

On April 8, the video of Bathinda jail inmates was aired on a private channel, in which they levelled serious allegations against the jail administration.

Before the video went viral, the jail authorities registered a case against the inmates at the Cantt police station for allegedly blackmailing the jail staff.

Acting on a complaint of Assistant Jail Superintendent Shiv Kumar, the Cantt police had registered a case against Manipar, Gurjit Singh, Gurwinder Singh, Bhupinder Kumar, Hardeep Singh, Harpal Singh, Harbant Singh, Navtej Singh, Manjit Singh, Ranjodh Singh, Arshdeep Singh and Jaspreet Singh.

The inmates even threatened the jail administration that if they did not provide them mobile phones and drugs, the video would be sent to news channels.

The incident has raised serious questions regarding the security system of the jail in Bathinda.

Name came up during interrogation

During the interrogation of the inmates, the name of jail warder Baljit Singh cropped up. After knowing about the registration of an FIR against him, Bajlit remained absent from duty. The jail warder has been arrested. Gulneet Singh Khurana, Bathinda SSP