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2 Rohini jail wardens held for extorting inmates
The accused — identified as Dinesh Dabas and Pankaj Kumar — had been working at the jail for around three years. The families were being asked to pay between ₹50,000 to ₹1 lakh for the provision of basic amenities to the inmate, such as a clean cell or food on time, said a senior officer at the jail.
Two wardens of Delhi’s Rohini jail have been arrested for allegedly extorting jail inmates, particularly undertrials, and their families for months in exchange for providing basic amenities, concessions and certain special services, said police deployed with the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) in Delhi.
The accused — identified as Dinesh Dabas and Pankaj Kumar — had been working at the jail for around three years. The families were being asked to pay between ₹50,000 to ₹1 lakh for the provision of basic amenities to the inmate, such as a clean cell or food on time, said a senior officer at the jail.
“The wardens tried to make more money by offering phones to inmates and exemption from certain duties such as washroom cleaning along with other services,” the officer added.
The situation came to light after the families filed anonymous complaints with ACB about being threatened for a long time, said jail officials. One of the families approached the police as well as ACB in February.
ACB officials said action was taken on one of the complaints where the family alleged that the two wardens were had been continuously harassing them and demanding ₹1 lakh. “We formed a team and decided to catch the accused red-handed. Our special team went to the Rohini jail posing as the inmate’s family members on February 10. The duo were held red-handed while accepting the bribe. We found there are other complaints and we are analysing them,” said another officer.
Senior officers from the office of directorate general of central jail, Delhi, confirmed the two had been arrested on February 10.
A jail staffer at Tihar headquarters said, “At least five complaints have been received against the two wardens who had been harassing inmates and demanding hefty bribes in exchange of basic amenities. Those who paid them, were allowed to be in cleaner and less crowded barracks, better food and simpler duties. “
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