Hazaribag jailor, 5 wardens sacked over irregularities & inmate privileges

In a major disciplinary action highlighting alleged corruption within the prison system, the jailor and five wardens of Hazaribag Central Jail in Jharkhand have been suspended for serious irregularities. The decision, taken by Inspector General (Jail) Sudarshan Mandal, follows a thorough investigation into the conduct of the staff members who were reportedly found to be conniving with certain inmates, leading to a significant security breach and the provision of illegal privileges within the high-security facility.

The Superintendent of Hazaribag Central Jail, Jitendra Singh, confirmed the suspension of Jailor Dinesh Verma and the five wardens. The immediate trigger for the stringent action was the discovery that an influential prisoner, recently arrested in connection with the infamous Khasmahal land scam, had access to special facilities, including a mobile phone, within the jail premises.

The influential inmate in question, identified as Vinay Kumar Singh, a key accused in the Khasmahal land scam, used the illegally accessed phone to send a message to the state government. The message reportedly complained about the poor quality of food being served in the jail, which inadvertently alerted authorities to the security lapse and the special treatment being afforded to the high-profile prisoner.

The Inspector General (Jail) took a serious note of the matter, not only focusing on how an inmate managed to obtain a mobile phone but also on the provision of "other facilities" to the key accused. The subsequent probe confirmed the alleged connivance of the suspended staff members, who were facilitating these breaches of prison regulations in exchange for favors or monetary gain.

In addition to the suspension of the six permanent staff members, six wardens who were ex-army personnel working on a contractual basis were also immediately relieved of their duties and removed from service. This indicates that the nexus between staff and inmates was possibly spread across different levels of prison administration and security personnel.