‘Akalis turned jails into resthouses for criminals’

What is wrong with Punjab jails?

I don’t have any hesitation in accepting that the jail department has become a den of corruption. In the 10-year rule of SAD-BJP, jails became resthouses for criminals. Akalis accommodated criminals close to them inside jails. I’ll make sure jails are not used for entertainment by criminals. We need extra funds. In just my first month, I’ve got project sanctions for crores from the finance department.

How will you stop malpractices?

I started on a good note. We need a sea change. Officials have been instructed to come out of this nexus. Very soon, I am going to study the Tihar model as well. We are going to appoint more jail wardens as well; 500 are joining shortly.

Use of mobiles in jails has not stopped even after your crackdown on officials. Why?

Do you think I will be able to break the decade-long nexus in one or two months? I need time. This is just a start. We are going to buy 5G jammers by spending Rs 8 crore and I am hopeful that within one month the installation will start. I have also ordered decrease in size of barracks. At present, a few barracks are accommodating up to 100 prisoners. This strength will be decreased to 50-60 in each. I have the asked the intelligence wing to increase deployment in jails. To check supply of mobiles and drugs, we have started deploying CISF sanctioned by the Centre to Punjab. They will man the main gates. We are going to install body scanners and more sniffer dogs.

How do you plan to break the nexus?

When the rules will be followed, this nexus will end automatically. Seniors have to take responsibility. As for political interference, I will take care of that. After becoming minister, even my party MLAs forwarded me requests to help a few prisoners. I politely said ‘No’ to them. I know that if I will open such gates, more requests will flood in.

Some jail officials say that by threatening to suspend them, you have put too much pressure on them?

I am not here to pressurise anybody. We are in a mess. To bring the department out of this mess, we need to work hard. I will reward my staff with promotion, too, if they show integrity. In case they continue to shake hands with criminals, I will dismiss them. HTC