Smuggled contraband found in Tihar, role of jail staff to be probed

NEW DELHI: It isn’t just mobile phones that have found their way inside the heavily guarded walls of Tihar prisons. On Tuesday afternoon, a senior officer out on a surprise inspection found hash from inside the video conferencing room of jail number 5.

The video conferencing room is used by prisoners — mostly those lodged in high security wards and cells — whose court hearings are held through cameras installed in the room.

The room remains open only for a few hours each day.

The jail officials have now asked police for an in-depth investigation on how the contraband was smuggled inside the prison. Police have also registered an FIR under different sections of the NDPS Act.

Jail sources said that a separate internal inquiry had been ordered into the role of jail officers who may have helped in smuggling the contraband.

Sources said on Tuesday noon, a deputy superintendent entered the video-conferencing room during a surprise inspection of the prisons and found a prisoner trying to hide a pouch.

Suspecting something, the officers held the prisoner and found a pouch containing several dark balls, which appeared to be hash. Senior jail officers informed the police who confirmed it was hash. The recovered drugs weighed 200 grams. It has been sent to the forensic science laboratory for examination. Sources said the prisoner, Ashok Kumar, was being questioned.