Bhondsi jail officer sold phones to inmates for ₹50K, finds probe

Two days after the deputy superintendent of police (DSP) of Bhondsi jail was arrested for allegedly smuggling drugs and supplying SIM cards to inmates over the last

Two days after the deputy superintendent of police (DSP) of Bhondsi jail was arrested for allegedly smuggling drugs and supplying SIM cards to inmates over the last two years, a preliminary investigation has revealed he used to sell mobile phones to the inmates for ₹50,000.

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DSP Dharambir Chautala, the arrested officer, was allegedly helped by a former inmate named Ravi Kumar who was also arrested in the case.

Police said Kumar was earlier lodged in Bhondsi jail in January 2010 for kidnapping and murder, till his acquittal in May 2018.

Sandeep Malik, assistant commissioner of police (ACP), Sohna, said that Chautala was in-charge of the factory wing of the Bhondsi jail and used to look after painting, stitching, and flour milling. Ravi used to take a painting class, which is when he came in contact with Chautala in 2018.

“Ravi initially started helping Chautala to crack deals with inmates who wanted to buy mobile phones and drugs. He became the middleman and started taking orders from inmates and later delivered mobile phones and drugs to them with the consent of Chautala. ,” he said.

Another police officer privy to the investigation said that phones were being made available to the inmates for as much as ₹50,000.

Harinder Singh, jail superintendent of Bhondsi jail, said they have started conducting regular checks in the barracks, and on Saturday recovered four mobile phones from inmates. “Strict warnings were given to all the officials to ensure no illegal activity inside the premises,” he said.

Malik said they have identified the dealers who used to supply the contraband. “We have formed teams and identified their hideouts in Gurugram. We are close to them and would arrest them at the earliest,” he said.