Maharashtra home minister: Will install CCTVs in all prisons

Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh on Thursday said the state would install closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras in all jails across the state in a bid

Maharashtra home minister Anil Deshmukh on Thursday said the state would install closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras in all jails across the state in a bid to curb circulation of banned items inside the jail including mobile phones, alcohol, etc. Deshmukh said the process of installing the cameras will take place in the next six months at a cost of ₹90 crore to ensure there are no blind spots in jails.

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Congress legislator Ramhari Rupnawar, in the House, said prisoners in jails across the state have access to mobiles and other contraband. Peasants and Workers Party of India (PWP) legislator Jayant Patil said when he was lodged in Yerawada Central Jail in Pune for a month, he saw prisoners had access to restricted and illegal items. “I saw prisoners have access to fried fish, cannabis, soda, mobiles, etc. I suggest the minister make a surprise visit to one of the jails to know the ground reality,” Patil said.

Deshmukh, responding to Patil during question hour said, “You will not see such things after six months. We are installing CCTV cameras in all jails across the state. There will be no blind spots.” The home minister, in his written reply, said a phone was found inside the toilet at Kolhapur Central Prison in October along with four batteries.

BJP legislator Ranjit Patil said prisons have not been brought under CCTV coverage despite projects going on for years. Incidentally, Patil was the minister of state for home (urban) in the previous state government.