Odisha jail official paid ₹1.9 lakh after inmate’s gold jewellery went missing

Gold jewellery deposited at Choudwar Jail missing on release; ₹1.9 lakh paid to inmate, Odisha prisons department orders investigation

Published on: Feb 18, 2026, 19:34:32 IST

By Debabrata Mohanty

Prefer HTon Google

Share via

Copy link

Bhubaneswar: The senior superintendent of an Odisha jail allegedly handed over ₹1.9 lakh in cash to a 32-year-old former inmate after she accused prison officials of procedural violations and misconduct, claiming the gold jewellery she had deposited at the time of admission was missing when she was released from Choudwar Circle Jail in December last year.

Itishree Mohanty, a resident of Mahanga in Cuttack district, was lodged at Choudwar Circle Jail in September last year. She had deposited a pair of earrings weighing 6 grams, a ring weighing 8 grams, and a nose pin she was wearing with the jail authorities at the time of admission.

But when Mohanty was released on bail on December 23, the ornaments were not returned. Repeated follow-ups allegedly yielded no result, following which she filed an FIR on February 8 at the Choudwar police station against the jail’s senior superintendent, Sujit Kumar Raula, accusing him of unauthorised possession of her valuables.

Director of prisons Sushant Nath said he has ordered a probe into the missing jewellery. “As per our initial findings, the jailor who was in charge is responsible for the upkeep of the valuables. It seems the jailor did not maintain the register properly,” he said.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Debabrata Mohanty
Debabrata Mohanty is a senior assistant editor of Hindustan Times who works as state correspondent from Odisha covering the state's politics, governance, public policy, natural disasters, environment and its society for close to three decades. With his long years of reporting from the state capital of Bhubaneswar, Mohanty has been known as one of the most experienced and credible journalists covering Odisha for the national English dailies. His reporting combines on-ground detail with deep institutional knowledge detailing the state's changing politics, governance issues, administrative reforms and the functioning of its public institutions. He has regularly reported on issues ranging from legislative developments and public policy implementation. Politics is his core areas of expertise as he closely tracks Odisha's political landscape, including the rise and transformation of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Biju Janata Dal (BJD), the two principal political parties in Odisha. His long association with the state's political establishment enables him to write on contemporary developments in a larger political context. Mohanty takes a deep interest in writing human interest stories, environmental issues and documenting the impact of cyclones, floods, heatwaves, and other climate-related events in one of the most disaster-prone states. His coverage extends to public health, governance reforms and stories on accountability of government institutions. Before joining Hindustan Times, Mohanty worked with The Indian Express, Mail Today, and The Telegraph, where he covered at least six general elections and as many assembly elections. In 2007, he was selected for the prestigious Chevening Young Indian Print Journalist Programme at the University of Lincoln, United Kingdom, where he received advanced training in print journalism. In 2009 he won the Press Institute of India-International Committee of Red Cross award on conflict reporting for his on-ground reportage of 2008 Kandhamal riots.Read More

Get the latest India News, breaking headlines and real-time updates from across the country. Stay informed about politics, government policies, crime, weather and major national developments.