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Ludhiana Central Jail birthday bash video goes viral, FIRs against 11 inmates
Ludhiana Central Jail officials initiate an inquiry, seize the phone used to record the video, which was shot on December 21 inside the complex
A video purportedly showing at least a dozen Central Jail inmates raising glasses during a “birthday” celebration for inmate Anil alias Mani Rana from Una on premises drew attention on Thursday. After the video went viral on social media, first information reports were registered against 11 accused.
Jail officials have since also initiated an inquiry and seized the phone used to record the video. According to the information, however, Mani Rana had damaged the device and authorities were unable to recover the pictures and videos.
The long eight-minute clip in question purportedly shows a group of inmates celebrating the birthday with eatables, raising glasses and singing “Mani veera da aj birthday hai (Today is Mani’s birthday)” in one of the jail barracks.
Sharing details, jail superintendent Shivraj Singh Nandgarh said the video was shot on December 21 inside the complex. The inmates were celebrating the birthday of undertrial Arun Kumar alias Mani Rana of Haroli village, Una, Himachal Pradesh, who is facing trial in a 2019 robbery case. He added the inmates were having a “tea and pakoras” party.
On finding out about the incident, the jail authorities recovered a smartphone on December 24 from Mani. He had smashed the phone against the wall of the barrack.
An FIR under the section 52-A (1) of Prison Act was registered against Arun alias Anil alias Mani at division number 7 police station.
“After the video surfaced on social media, we identified ten other inmates and sent a complaint to the police to lodge an FIR against them,” the superintendent said.
He added that the jail complexes, at this point, do not have jammers to block access to mobile phone networks and the internet, but a request has been sent to the government.
Division number 7 police station house officer (SHO) inspector Sukhdev Singh Brar said police have booked inmates including — Gurjant Singh alias Janta of Gobindpur, Jalandhar, Karanjot Singh alias Nona of New Azad Nagar of Amritsar, Sarabjit Singh alias Sabi of Meerpur Jattan of Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar, Satkar Singh of Village Kotla Raike of Moga, Saurav Kattu of Isa Nagri, Ludhiana, Harmandeep Singh alias Mani of Doraha, Harwinder Singh alias Bhinda of Jalilpur, Abohar, Didar Singh alias Gaggi of Mahilpur, Hoshiarpur, Shivam alias Mano of Model Town, Jalandhar and Sajanpreet Singh alias Sajan of Patti, Sultanwind, Amritsar in the FIR lodged against Mani Rana on December 24.
Not the first case
In May 2021, three jail officials, including an assistant superintendent had borne the brunt after a “booze” party by inmates in the central jail.
Gangster Manwinder Singh alias Nikka Jattan and his accomplices Abhishek Kumar, Parminder Singh, Bharti Singh, Kewal Krishan and Maninder Singh and others were booked by the police after a video of them enjoying hookah and alcohol in the jail had gone viral on the social networking sites.
No custody of inmates
According to police officials, in case of recovery of mobile phones from inmates, they lodge an FIR under section 52A (1) of the Prison Act against. In such cases, the courts do not give them custody of inmates stating that the sections are bailable. As a result, they cannot interrogate the accused on how they manage to procure a mobile phone inside the jail premises.
