43,000 calls made from jail: HC asks Spl DGP to explain why not even one jail official probed

During the previous hearing the bench had asked to remain present in the court.

The Bench was hearing an anticipatory bail plea filed by Geetanjali, named as an accomplice to a gang of three inmates who were running a drug racket from inside the jail. An FIR was registered by the SSOC, Fazilka, under NDPS Act, on March 28 against three inmates of Ferozepur Central Jail. It was informed that Raj Kumar, Sonu Tiddi and Amrik Singh, who were lodged in the jail in different cases, registered under the NDPS Act, had formed a gang inside the jail and were running a drug racket and Geetanjali and one Neeru Bala were their accomplices.

Meanwhile, ADGP Prisons in an affidavit submitted that “the mobile phone used by Raj Kumar alias Raja remained active from March 1, 2019 till March 31, 2019 at a single location, which is Central Jail, Ferozepur. As per the call details (CDR), 38,850, calls were made from this number. Another mobile also remained active at Jail from October 9, 2021 to February 14, 2023 and as per the call detail records, 4,582 calls were made by using this number.”

As the hearing resumed, Justice Shekhawat noted that 38,000 calls were made in one month from jail by an inmate, and observed that no investigation by the officials concerned points to a “height of incompetency”.

“You can see magnitude of crime, but you have no knowledge about it,” Justice Shekhawat said to the Special DGP.
Asking the Special DGP to explain what action has he taken against jail officials in the matter, Justice Shekhawat further questioned: “Have you investigated to whom these calls were made by the accused from the prison? Who were these people to whom calls were made? Were they accused?”

Meanwhile, the counsel for Punjab government submitted that the calls were made over four years, and they have nominated two persons as accused in the case, to whom the calls were made. However both are on the run. Justice Shekhawat further asked the Special DGP that “which are the jail officials whose role has been investigated?”.

On being informed by the Special DGP that meetings are being held every Friday with the AIGs concerned to discuss the operations, Justice Shekhawat orally observed that monitoring meetings are just confined to tea and samosa.

“For what are you holding meetings on every Friday. Did you investigate the role of any jail official in last nine months,” Justice Shekhawat asked the Special DGP Advocate General Gurminder Singh assured the Bench that efforts will be made by the Punjab Police to make a headway.

The bench further asked the Investigating Officer in the case, who has been further arrested in the matter, after the FIR was registered nine months back.

The IO, who was present in the court, informed the bench that two accused — Gaurav and Gurvinder — have been nominated. On being asked by the Bench that to whom the calls were made by the inmates, the IO said that approximately 4,500 calls were made to their family relatives.

The Bench pointed out that there have been more than 800 incidents of drugs cases in jail reported recently, and only one person has been dismissed.

“Without active connivance of Police and other jail officials, drugs cannot be found in jail”, observed Justice Shekhawat. A detailed order in the matter was however yet to be released by the HC on its website.