9 mobiles seized from Amritsar central jail
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More than 300 mobile phones were seized in 2017. In most cases, first information reports were lodged against unidentified people because most of the cell phones were thrown into the jail from outside.
GURJANT SINGH, assistant superintendent of jail
AMRITSAR : The recovery of nine mobile phones from the central jail here has put a question mark on security in the jail and the working of jail authorities and the Punjab police.
However, authorities at the jail claimed that eight out of the total nine mobile phones were found lying near the outer wall inside the jail while a mobile phone was recovered from the possession of a jail inmate.
After the complaints of two assistant superintendents of central jail (ASCJS), the Gate Hakima police of the district registered two separate cases under sections 42 (penalty for introduction or removal of prohibited articles into or from prison and communication with prisoners) and 52 (procedure on committal of heinous offence) of prisoners Act 1894 on Friday.
In the first case, ASCJ Gurjant Singh said in his statement to the police that jail authorities had recovered three mobile phones; two from near the outer wall inside the jail and one from an inmate, Sandeep Singh of Rasulpur.
He said, “Two mobile phones were thrown by some unknown people from outside the jail.”
In another case, ASCJ Navdeep Singh stated to the police that the jail authorities had recovered 6 mobile phones and 10 packets of cigarettes, which were thrown into the jail from outside.
Gurjant Singh said due to the lapses of police security, miscreants successfully managed to throw mobile phones inside the jail.
He said, “The outer premises of the jail are being guarded by the Punjab police only. If the police guard the outer area strictly then it will not be possible for miscreants to throw mobiles inside the jail.”
He said, “More than 300 mobile phones were recovered in 2017 by jail authorities and 80% first information reports (FIRS) were lodged against unidentified people in this regard because most of the cell phones were thrown into the jail from outside.”
Deputy commissioner of police-investigation (DCP-I) Jagmohan Singh said they would verify the case and mobile phones recovered from the jail.
“Action will be taken against those who will be found guilty,” he said.
When asked about jammers in the jail, assistant superintendents of central jail Gurjant Singh said, “There were jammers in the jail which can tackle only 2-G network but now 3-G and 4-G networks are accessible and these jammers are not so supportive to stop the network.”
He said, “We have already sent proposals to the government so as to install new hi-tech jammers into the jail so that no inmates are able to use mobile phones.”