A fast food outlet, a vegetable stall and salon that are part of Vellore Central Prison's ‘Freedom’ Bazaar have been shut since March 26 amid allegations that jail staff colluded with inmates to swindle some of the receipts.
The Prison Bazaar, located opposite the prison campus at Thorapadi, was an initiative meant to help reform and rehabilitate prisoners.
With affordable rates, the bazaar's units were a big draw among locals in and around Thorapadi.
The food outlet, which offered noodles, fried rice and other fast food and functioned during the evening hours, had had a good flow of customers.
The lure of a quick buck at the cash based outlets is believed to have led to some prison staff fudging accounts and swindling money, according to prison sources.
It was a seizure of cash during a vigilance raid that blew the lid off the malpractice. In the month of November last year, the vigilance wing of the Prison Department conducted a raid and seized cash of about Rs. 30,000 kept hidden in the bazaar's ironing and tailoring units. Prison sources said that an inquiry revealed that there was a nexus between prison staff and inmates working at the bazaar.
“There was a practice of under billing,” a prison official, who did not wish to be identified said.
“So, instead of maintaining account for 100 tokens, they showed sales for 50 tokens to misappropriate the money,” the official said.
A senior official of the Prison Department, Vellore range, however, said the units at the bazaar had been closed for a revamp.
“We have temporarily closed the bazaar to take up renovation work,” he said, without elaborating. Prison sources said the facilities housing the units were relatively new and not in immediate need of any renovation. Except for the tailoring and clothes ironing unit, all other outlets have been shut. Even the tailoring unit will function until all pending orders are completed, prison officials said. Boards have been put up at the bazaar saying that the saloon and restaurant have been temporarily closed for maintenance work.
The bazaar was conceptualized to provide an opportunity for the reformation and rehabilitation of prisoners. A part of the money earned went as wages for the prisoners and was deposited in a bank account, while the rest was utilised for the development of prison industries.
Prison department sources said that the units have been closed to prevent any kind of corrupt activities in the future.
