Bhondsi jail official caught taking bribe from under trial in fake gun licence racket

Earlier, Bhardwaj had complained to the police that an extortion racket was being run from inside the Bhondsi jail after which a top gangster and his accomplices were arrested

A team of the state vigilance bureau caught a Bhondsi jail official taking bribe on Friday. Officials at the vigilance bureau said a case has been registered against sub inspector Kripa Ram, posted at Bhondsi jail, who has been taken on police remand for a day.

The ‘mulakat’ room at Bhondsi jail, where inmates interact with their relatives. (HT File Photo)

The jail official had been allegedly harassing the inmate, identified as Surender alias Sunda and his wife for money.

He was threatening to shift Surendra to a jail outside Gurgaon if his “demands” were not met. He had also promised to shift Sunda to the barracks if his demands were accepted, the police said.

Vigilance officials claimed that the police official had been demanding ₹1.5 lakh from the wife of the inmate and called her repeatedly after which a complaint was lodged.

Interestingly, the complaint, on behalf of Surender, was lodged by Manish Bhardwaj, who is under trial as the mastermind of the fake gun licence racket in which 10 persons were arrested, including some police officials.

Earlier, Bhardwaj had complained to the police that an extortion racket was being run from inside the Bhondsi jail after which a top gangster and his accomplices were arrested. He had alleged that gangster Manjeet Mahal and Binder Gujjar had forced him to give cash and his luxury car as protection money for safe stay in jail. He had also alleged that senior jail officials had been acting in collusion with gangsters and running a racket from inside the jail.

Bhardwaj was the one to have handed the money to the arrested official. He allegedly threatened to shift Sunda, convicted under Section 302 of the IPC, to Sonipat jail, if he did not get the money.

Hamid Akhtar, SP, vigilance, said that soon after the complaint, a trap was laid and a team of officials caught the accused red-handed while accepting the bribe after which he was brought to the Bhondsi police station.

A case under section 7, 13 of the Prevention of Corruption Act was registered against the accused. “The matter is being probed,” Akhtar said.