Mobiles found in Fatehgarh jail, jailer shifted, 3 warders suspended

Three mobile phones were recovered from the barracks of inmates in the Fatehgarh District Jail during a surprise inspection, on Wednesday

Three mobile phones were recovered from the barracks of inmates in the Fatehgarh District Jail during a surprise inspection, on Wednesday.

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A specific tip-off about the presence of objectionable material inside the jail premises resulted in the checking drive being launched, said senior jail officials of prison headquarters, in Lucknow, on Thursday.

The officials said the jailer Girija Shanker Yadav was immediately transferred and disciplinary action has been initiated by director general (DG), prisons, Anand Kumar. They said that Unnao District Jail jailer Akhilesh Kumar has replaced Yadav as the new jailer of Fatehgarh District Jail.

Besides, three warders – Viresh Singh, Jai Prakash Yadav and Sanjiv Kumar – were suspended, finding them responsible for allowing mobile phones inside the barracks and a show cause notice has been issued to deputy jailer Jitendra Kumar in the same matter, they added.

A senior prison official said the special task force of the prison department constituted by the DG, prisons, carried out a comprehensive search using deep-search metal detectors and found three small mobile phones hidden in pits in three different barracks.

He said that the raid was led by PK Shukla, senior jail superintendent, Central Jail Fatehgarh.

He said that the DG has ordered further departmental action against the trio while the jailer has been transferred to Sampurnanand Jail Institute in Lucknow after finding negligence in the entire matter. He added that an enquiry has been initiated against him and disciplinary action could be initiated if he is found guilty.