25 Bhondsi inmates under lens for links with arrested jailor
GURUGRAM: The police have identified 25 drug peddlers lodged inside Bhondsi Jail to verify their connection with the deputy jail superintendent(DJS) and his son, who were earlier arrested for allegedly smuggling drugs and mobile phones to the jail inmates.
The station house officer(SHO) of Bhondsi Jail was also sent to police lines on administrative grounds on Sunday, said the police.
The police said that they will start questioning the 25 inmates as they suspect that some of them were regularly in touch with DJS Dharambir Chautala and his son Ravi Chautala. The police said Dharambir was allegedly friendly with the some of the gangsters and was often spotted with them in their barracks.
Preet Pal Sangwan, assistant commissioner of police (crime), said that their arrest may have scared the criminals as he used to provide support to them. Sangwan said they have received the call details of Chautala’s phone to verify names to whom calls were made. However, most of the calls were made from WhatsApp, due to which they could not be traced.
Dharambir Chautala was arrested on July 23 for allegedly smuggling drugs and supplying SIM cards to inmates for over the last two years. According to officers, 240 grams of a narcotics substance, called Sulfa, and 11 SIM cards were recovered from his government accommodation inside the jail premises. His son, Ravi Chautala, was arrested from Sirsa on Saturday and charged with sedition for allegedly threatening prison officials. Hewas arrested after he allegedly threatened to “blast Bhondsi Jail” in a purported audio clip, which was widely shared across social media.
Earlier, on July 23, the police had also arrested drug peddler Ravi Kumar for supplying Chautala with drugs and mobile phones. While questioning Kumar, it was revealed that drugs and mobile phones were easily available inside Bhondsi Jail at a price. He also allegedly told the police that an inmate could use a smartphone inside a jail by paying at least ₹50,000 a month. However, no one was allowed to click any pictures or make a video inside the premises to ensure that the identity of the place was not leaked, said the police.
According to police officials, privy to the matter, there are four barracks inside Bhondsi Jail, where only hardcore criminals are lodged. Access to these barracks have been denied to all the staff. They all are under scanner and the movement of these criminals is being closely monitored. Regular updates are being shared with the superintendent of the jail, said the police.
Sangwan said they have also deployed a team of the crime investigation unit at the outskirts of Bhondsi Jail in plain clothes since the arrest of Ravi Chautala. “The safety of officials and inmates are of great importance to us. We are in touch with the jail officials and a PCR van along with three riders have been deployed outside the jail premises for safety of the officials. No one is being allowed to loiter in the area outside the jail,” he said.