An assistant superintendent and a warder at Ludhiana’s Borstal Jail have been suspended over their alleged involvement in a racket supplying mobile phones, drugs and other prohibited items to inmates. A case has been registered against the two officials and four undertrials following an inquiry into the suspected collusion.
The action followed an inquiry initiated after confidential information about the alleged activities surfaced.
Assistant superintendent Harminder Singh and warder Baljit Singh were suspended after the inquiry report was forwarded to senior prison officials, including the ADGP (Prisons) and the DIG of Prisons, Patiala Circle, as well as Ludhiana police commissioner Swapn Sharma. Departmental proceedings have also been initiated against the two employees. According to the inquiry report, the officials allegedly facilitated the supply of mobile phones, intoxicants and other prohibited articles to inmates, enabling their unauthorised use inside the prison.
The case was registered on a complaint by Jagjit Singh, deputy superintendent (security) at Borstal Jail. The report stated that Baljit Singh, whose duties as a warder include guarding prisoners and maintaining security within the jail, was transferred to Ropar district jail on July 8. However, he allegedly continued to maintain links with inmates at Borstal Jail to facilitate the supply of mobile phones and drugs even after his transfer.
Four undertrials — Abhishek, Lovepreet, Sahil and Jatin — have also been booked in the case. Statements recorded during questioning reportedly indicated that the assistant superintendent and the warder had provided mobile phones to inmates on several occasions, particularly at night. The inmates allegedly used the phones to record videos inside the prison and send them outside.
{{/usCountry}}Four undertrials — Abhishek, Lovepreet, Sahil and Jatin — have also been booked in the case. Statements recorded during questioning reportedly indicated that the assistant superintendent and the warder had provided mobile phones to inmates on several occasions, particularly at night. The inmates allegedly used the phones to record videos inside the prison and send them outside.
{{/usCountry}}The inquiry report also referred to the criminal cases faced by the four undertrials.
Jatin faces cases under the Arms Act and Section 111 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at Division No. 4 police station, as well as an attempt-to-murder case at Basti Jodhewal police station. The report alleged that he was associated with gangster Goldy Brar’s gang and had been involved in extortion and firing incidents at its behest. Sahil faces cases under the Arms Act and for drug trafficking at Durgri police station. Heroin and a pistol were reportedly recovered from him and his associates. Abhishek faces drug-trafficking cases registered at Sadar and Nawanshahr police stations. He was arrested in 2025 with heroin and ₹1.70 lakh in suspected drug money. Lovepreet faces a case registered at Rahon police station in 2024 involving allegations of rape and murder.
Borstal Jail superintendent Gurpreet Singh said Harminder Singh had been suspended in connection with another case and confirmed that a case had been registered against Baljit Singh and the four inmates following the inquiry into the alleged collusion. “The allegations of prison staff accepting bribes to supply prohibited items to inmates have been brought to the attention of senior prison department officials and further investigation in the matter is underway,” he said.