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Minister makes surprise visit to jail; orders frisking of Majithia
The minister had received information that SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia was using phone in his barrack
: Punjab Jail Minister Harjot Singh Bains on Friday made a surprise visit to central jail here and ordered frisking of Bikram Singh Majithia and his barrack after receiving information that the SAD leader was using a mobile phone in the prison.
Acting on a tip-off that Majithia was using a phone, Bains cut short his scheduled meetings in the afternoon and left for the surprise check. However, nothing was found from Majithia’s barrack.
“There was information that Majithia is using mobile phone, thus I made a surprise visit,” Bains said, asking the jail officials to be vigilant and not provide any VIP treatment to anyone.
“I have made it clear not to give any VIP treatment to any inmate, whosoever he be. CM Bhagwant Mann has given clear instructions to me to take stern action against officials found indulging in any wrongdoing,” Bains said, adding that law is equal for everyone, either he is a politician or a common man.
Majithia is lodged in Patiala Jail in connection under the NDPS Act since February 24.
On asked that gangsters, while sitting in jails, make ransom calls, control kabaddi games and run drug cartels, Bains admitted that he has gone through such reports.
Accusing the previous regime of failing to bring any reform in the Jails, he said, “there is dearth of staff. No efforts has been made to introduce new technology to check misuse of phones. Only cosmetic efforts were done to score brownie points,” said Bains.
He said that he is in talk with top technology firms, including some from Israel to check the usage of phones in jail premises.
“Let me make it clear that now everyone from minister, MLAs, and officials are accountable, and whosoever is found inefficient or breaking rules, will have to face music,” he added.
He said that he has already made a file to recruit new staff in the prisons department.
On the mining issue in Ropar, he said that he has already started working on a new policy to check illegal mining.
