Suspicions confirmed, 23 mobile phones recovered from Nagpur Central Jail barracks

Meera Borwankar, Additional Director General Maharashtra (Prison), visits the Central Jail from where five five dreaded criminals escaped, in Nagpur on Wednsday. (Source: PTI)

The suspicion and reports about mobile phones being freely available to inmates in Nagpur Central Prison were confirmed on the night intervening Friday and Saturday when a search operation led by Additional Director General of Police (Prisons) Meera Borwankar led to recovery of 23 mobile phones.

Reports earlier said the phones were fished out of a well inside prison premises but Borwankar told The Indian Express that they were “Not fished out but found in a bunch.”

Deputy Inspector General of Police (Prisons) Shinde told The Indian Express that the mobile phones were found dumped near the barracks. Some of the phones were also found to have internet and WhatsApp facilities.

Five undertrials including three MACOCA accused had dramatically escaped from the prison on Tuesday.

There was no trace yet of the fugitives some of whom have a record of hiding right near the Nepal Border.

Reports said Borwankar camping here since Wednesday, suddenly descended upon the jail past midnight and launched a search operation.

A jail staffer constable Vijay Gawli had caused flutter by telling the media that many inmates inside the jail were given access to mobile phones, courtesy Senior Supervisory staff. Gawli had also lodged a police complaint against a senior jail official Vaibhav Aatram for allegedly forcing him to sign confession letter to the effect that his statements to the media were wrong and also for assaulting him. Aatram had also filed a counter compliant against Gawli.

Meanwhile DGP (Anti-corruption) Pravin Dixit has a launched a parallel probe into the escape episode.

Shinde said “We have registered an offense regarding recovery of phones today.”

Asked if he had conducted such searches in his capacity as the senior most authority at Nagpur earlier too, Shinde said “Yes. Earlier also some phones were recovered and we have taken action in those cases, we have also suspended some of our staffers found possessing mobile phones since even the staffers are not allowed to carry mobile phones inside the premises.

Source:: Indian Express