Ex-jailer’s house searched over alleged misappropriation of antique coins in Jammu

In June 2015, the crime branch had registered a case against four jail officials for allegedly trying to pocket nearly 400 gold and copper coins belonging to 12th and 13th century AD

The Crime Branch on Saturday searched the house of a former jail superintendent in connection with the alleged misappropriation of antique coins recovered from Kot Bhalwal jail eight years ago.

The residential house of the then superintendent, Kot Bhalwal jail, Rajni Sehgal, in Jammu city was searched by a team of the crime branch after a search warrant was obtained from a local court. (Representative Image/HT)

The residential house of the then superintendent, Kot Bhalwal jail, Rajni Sehgal, in Jammu city was searched by a team of the crime branch after a search warrant was obtained from a local court.

In June 2015, the crime branch had registered a case against four jail officials including Sehgal for allegedly trying to pocket nearly 400 gold and copper coins belonging to 12th and 13th century AD that were found by inmates lodged in the Central Jail premises while digging a patch for kitchen gardening in 2012.

“It has been established that the antique coins recovered were handed over to Sehgal on the same day in by an official of the jail,” an agency spokesperson said. Though the coins were recovered in September, Sehgal did not inform her senior officers about the recovery till December 2012 in order to ‘misappropriate’ the ancient coins.

An FIR has been registered under Sections of the Treasury Trove Act.

(With agency inputs)