Ghaizpur jail shake-up: Jailor, Dy jailor, and superintendent suspended over inmates making illegal calls
PV Ramasastry, director general of the department of prisons administration and reforms, has suspended jailer Rakesh Kumar Verma and deputy jailer Sukhvati Devi of Ghazipur district jail following an inquiry that found their alleged involvement in facilitating a jail inmate to make a mobile call from within the prison. The inquiry was conducted by deputy inspector general (jail) Rakesh Kumar Srivastava.
In connection with the same case, the Uttar Pradesh government suspended Ghazipur district jail superintendent Arun Pratap Singh on Tuesday for alleged negligence in duty. Mau jail superintendent Anand Shukla has been given additional charge of Ghazipur district jail.
The matter came to light after a youth from Ghazipur lodged a complaint with the local police on March 4. The youth alleged that Vinod Gupta alias Vinod Kumar, who is jailed in a forgery case, called him from inside the prison in February, threatening him to withdraw the case.
Superintendent of police, Ghazipur, Dr Iraj Raja ordered an investigation, following which the special weapons and tactics (SWAT) and surveillance team arrested Pammi Yadav, a resident of Bilaicha village in Ghazipur. During questioning, Pammi revealed that he had delivered a SIM card inside the jail at the request of his cousin, Bajrangi Yadav, who was lodged in the jail in an narcotics drugs & psychotropic substances (NDPS) smuggling case. The same SIM card was allegedly used by Bajrangi and Vinod.
A case was later registered against Vinod, and the district administration recommended further investigation by senior jail officials. Deputy inspector general jail Rakesh Srivastava’s inquiry confirmed the involvement of the jailer and deputy jailer, leading to their suspension.
Authorities have also transferred at least 10 inmates, including Santosh Kumar Singh, a murder convict, to Varanasi jail. Nine other inmates have also been shifted to different jails.
Sources revealed that Santosh Singh, also known as Pawan Singh, who was transferred to Varanasi jail, had been working as the jailor’s reader. He allegedly helped inmates make mobile calls and collected money in return.
Sources said that Santosh Singh, alias Pawan Singh, who has been transferred to Varanasi jail, is serving a life sentence for murder. He was reportedly working as the jailor’s reader and was allegedly involved in facilitating mobile calls for inmates in exchange for money.
Inmates charged ₹10-15 per minute for illegal phone calls
Sources disclosed that Santosh charged ₹10 to ₹15 per minute for enabling phone conversations. According to the jail manual, prisoners are permitted to register two phone numbers with the jail administration and can make five-minute calls twice a week using a designated landline. However, investigations revealed that the designated landline often remained out of order. Taking advantage of this, Santosh facilitated calls through unauthorised mobile phones. The calls were allegedly conducted from the jailor’s office, and details were maintained in a register.
Anonymous letter alleges further irregularities
In a related development, an anonymous letter sent to the Uttar Pradesh government alleged several irregularities in Ghazipur district jail. The letter claimed that inmates were provided with improved barracks, better food, and phone access in exchange for money. Following this, Prayagraj Jail authorities began a confidential investigation by recording statements of prisoners, inmates, and wardens. Officials have refrained from sharing details about the ongoing inquiry.
