Over 350 phones seized; police not serious to act against errants PK Jaiswar Amritsar, July 20 Even as the unabated instances of seizure of mobile phones from the high security Amritsar Central Jail have become a thorn in the flesh of the jail authorities, the investigation in these seizures by the police remain a dismal affair. Despite the fact that the interrogation of smugglers and gangsters reaffirmed that their bosses, lodged in a jail, were running the network with the help of mobile phones, the agencies have hardly taken the matter seriously, it seems. Ideally, the police should have nailed the accomplice of the notorious gangsters and drug smugglers with the help of mobile phones confiscated from them, but it has not been the case so far. The investigations should not only have helped in nailing the criminals and gangsters, it could have assisted the police in plugging the gaps due to which the mobile phones were slipping inside the high security jail conveniently, said a senior police official preferring not to be named. Since the shifting of the prisoners to the new sprawling complex at Fatahpur, the Amritsar Central Jail authorities have confiscated around 350 cell phones from the premises. Only yesterday, the authorities seized two mobile phones from notorious gangster Jaggu Bhagwanpuria. Recently, the DIG Jails, along with the city police, had conducted a surprise raid during which it had confiscated around 24 mobile phones, including smart phones, from the premises besides chargers and head phones. A pharmacist was also arrested by the jail authorities who used to sneak in mobiles by hiding in a cavity specially created in the registers. Jail authorities said that once the mobile phones are seized, they hand it over to the city police and it is the duty of the police officials to scrutinise the call details and nail their accomplices. “I think the problem of sneaking in of mobiles can be solved to a great extent if the police authorities interrogate the persons from whom the mobiles were seized. Their call details could help in shattering their network,” said the jail official. Most of the times, the prohibited material, including cell phones, are thrown from outside while contacts inside the jail also help the notorious elements inside the jail to sneak in mobiles. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Investigations) Jagmohan Singh said investigation is done properly though sometimes it takes time. Also, technical help is needed to scrutinise the phone calls, he added.

Stay updated with all the Amritsar Latest News headlines here. For more exclusive & live news updates from all around India, stay connected with NYOOOZ.