In a bid to curb the use of mobile phones inside jails, the prison department has decided to book criminal cases against those who receive calls from inmates.
The prison department, which has seized around 10 mobile phones from various jails across the State, has now sought help from the cyber crime department to get the call history of these phones to take further action.
“We have tried all possible ways to curb mobile phone usage by inmates. Now, we have decided to book cases against those who receive calls from them as well,” said a senior official from the prison department.
Recently, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah pulled up prison officials over their failure to curb usage of mobile phones in prisons. A day after the meeting, the prison department carried out simultaneous raids in the district jails and sub-jails across the State. As a result, 10 mobile phones from various jails, including a few from the Bangalore central prison, were confiscated. The seized phones have been handed over to the cyber crime department.
A senior official, who was part of the raids, said the call history will help them ascertain the “purpose of usage.” “If we find the involvement of any prison staff, he/she will be suspended and a departmental enquiry will be conducted,” the official said.
Additional Director-General of Police (Prisons) K.V. Gagandeep said this would stop usage of mobile phones in prisons. He also said prison authorities had disconnected the telephone booth inside jails and intensified surprise checks. He added that installation of upgraded jammers is nearing completion.
