Punjab News: 26 Jail Officials Suspended In Crackdown Against Corruption, Drug Rackets Running From Within Prisons

Chandigarh: As many as 26 jail officials including a superintendent, three deputy superintendents and one assistant superintendents of jails, were suspended on Saturday across Punjab in a major move against corruption, drug rackets running from within prisons.

Punjab jail minister Laljit Singh Bhullar said in a statement that 26 officers and employees of jail department have been suspended with immediate effect under Punjab Civil Services (Punishment and Appeal) Rules, 1970 for dereliction of duty/negligence, giving a clear message that illegal activities, misbehaviour, indiscipline, absence from duty and activities like involvement with prisoners will not be tolerated at all.

The minister said that those suspended included, Iqbal Singh Brar, superintendent, district jail, Mansa, Maninder Pal Cheema, deputy superintendent, Central Jail, Ludhiana, Anil Bhandari, deputy superintendent, Borstal Jail, Ludhiana, Sandeep Brar, deputy superintendent, Central Jail, Ludhiana, Yadvinder Singh, assistant superintendent, Central jail, Ferozepur, apart from warders of several other jails across the state.

Meanwhile, according to sources, reports, the action follows reports of grave irregularities and drug-related activities running from within the jails and it aimed at cleansing the system of the prison department’s management and to ensure greater efficiency.

Punjab BJP Extends Full Support To Diljit Dosanjh Amid Calls To Ban Sardaar Ji-3 (VIDEO)

According to media reports, there had been numerous instances in the past when notorious gangsters were found to have been running their extortion, drugs and other criminal nexus from within the jails using mobile phones, meeting a number of visitors hand in glove with the jail department officials.

Media reports held that in June this year, a police officer and a head constable were nabbed in connection with the smuggling of drugs and other banned items into Ropar jail while in May this year, a senior jail officer in Sangrur was arrested for his alleged involvement in drug smuggling. The reports added that last year, 200 inmates lodged in various prisons were shifted to Bathinda Central jail so as to curb mobile phone usage as this jail is equipped with an advanced phone jamming technology.