Prison staff accused of helping prisoners supply drugs, phones

Hameed Ashraf | NT

Bengaluru: Despite frequent surprise visits and raids conducted by the ministers and police agencies, illegal activities continue to take place at the Parappana Agrahara prison in the city.

In a recent incident, two prisoners, on their return from the court, were found to be carrying eight mobile phones and 57 grams of brown sugar (heroin).

Speaking to News Trail, sources from the police said that the prisoners, Girish and Ram Bhavan, had cunningly wrapped the mobile phones and drugs around their thighs using a black tape. It is worth noting that the prisoners were under tight police escort while being taken to the court and returning back to the prison. Girish is a murder-accused while Ram Bhavan was jailed in a POCSO case.

 Immediately the higher officials were alerted and the prisoners were taken in for questioning. During the questioning, the prisoners revealed that the escort police had helped them in obtaining brown sugar from one of their contacts, the sources added.

It was said that while being escorted back to the prison, one of the prisoners, Girish, contacted his friend to get the brown sugar and mobile phones delivered to him.

Girish told the higher officials that the escort police were aware of this. While Girish was delivered drugs and mobile phones, Ram Bhavan was handed over a mobile phone by his girlfriend while they were returning to the prison.

However this is not the first time that officers in prison were accused of supporting and helping prisoners in various illegal activities.

In the last few years many of the officers attached to the prison management in Bengaluru were suspended for allegedly allowing use of mobile phones, drugs and other illegal activities in the jail.

Meanwhile the Parappana Agrahara police have registered a case regarding the matter and are further probing it. A final report will be submitted to the ADGP prisons.