Errant prison officials sent to Patiala jail on judicial remand

The two assistant jail superintendents, who were arrested for allegedly supplying mobile phones and contrabands to the inmates, were on Tuesday sent to Patiala jail on judicial remand after the authorities in Ludhiana refused to lodge them in the central jail here with other inmates sensing safety and security of the duo.
The accused, Gagandeep Sharma and Satnam Singh, were on transit remand with Division number 7 police as medical examination reports of the accused were pending.
Superintendent at Ludhiana Central Jail Shivraj Singh Nandgarh stated that after the arrest of the errant officials, cases of smuggling of mobile phones and contraband has been reduced to nil. After their arrest, the jail staff has recovered only one packet, which was thrown over the compound wall of the jail, containing tobacco sachets.
Sub-inspector Janak Raj, incharge at Tajpur Road police post, said that as reports of medical examination of the duo was pending, they were in police custody. On Tuesday, they reached Ludhiana Central Jail to drop the accused, but the jail officials refused to keep them with the inmates. Following this, the duo were sent to Patiala Jail.
The Division number 7 police had arrested two assistant jail superintendent and ten other accused, including jail inmates and their kin on January 23.
According to the police, the kin of the inmates used to handover mobile phones and contraband to the two jail officials, who further supplied the same to inmates in exchange of money. The accused received a bribe from them through UPI.
A case under sections 52 A (1) of Prison Act, Section 21 of NDPS Act and sections 120B and 34 of the IPC was lodged against the accused at Division number 7 police station on January 17. After the arrest of the two jail officials, the police added sections of Prevention of Corruption Act also in the FIR.