2 asst jail supdts, warder suspended
PATIALA : The Punjab prisons department has suspended two assistant jail superintendents and a warder for negligence in the Patiala jailbreak case.
Additional director general of police (prisons) PK Sinha ordered suspension of assistant jail superintendents Tarlochan Singh and Kuldip Singh and warder Sant Singh on the basis of an inquiry report submitted by IG (prisons) who found them prima facie guilty in the jailbreak incident.
Three prisoners — Inderjit Singh, Sher Singh and Jaspreet Singh — fled from the quarantine ward of the Patiala Central Jail on the intervening night of April 27 and 28 by scaling the prison wall.
An FIR under sections 223, 224, 225, 225-A, 427, 120-B of the Indian Penal Code, section 4 of the Damage Public Property Act, and section 42 of the Prison Act was registered against the escapees at the Tripuri
police station.
The police had constituted a special investigation team (SIT) besides six other teams to track and nab the accused.
Eight days later, the SIT managed to nab Inderjit, a former army trainer. The police also arrested a person who allegedly gave shelter to Inderjit when he was on the run. Sher Singh and Jaspreet are still absconding.
“The IG in his report found that the officials did not ensure surveillance. They were also found negligent as per the jail manual. A stern action should be taken against officials as the incident has dented the image of the prisons department,” an official said.