Bengaluru: Prisoners were watching OTT content on their phones in jail, officials accused of providing them with devices; 3 staff members suspended

News Topical, Digital Desk : Videos of three inmates using mobile phones inside the high-security Bengaluru Central Jail have gone viral. In these videos, the inmates claimed that DGP Alok Kumar had given them the devices.

However, an internal investigation found these allegations to be completely false. During an internal investigation, the undertrials admitted that they had made the videos with the intention of derailing prison reforms and defaming DGP Alok Kumar. Investigating officials found that all the allegations against the officer were baseless.

In the video, the inmates are seen mocking the DGP and also discussing the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) vs Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) match scheduled for March 28. The clips were shot on March 27 and went viral on Saturday.

Action against jailer

The jail administration has immediately suspended three ward staff members—Niranjan Kamat, Hanumanthappa Hadpad, and Shivanand Karalabatti—for negligence in duty. Departmental action has also been initiated against the jailer on supervisory duty at the time.

Jail Chief Superintendent Anshu Kumar and his team recovered three mobile phones from inside the jail. The phones were wrapped in milk packets and hidden in a 3-foot-deep pipeline. A senior official said that devices hidden at such a depth would not be detectable by standard detectors.

Identification of accused prisoners

The three inmates have been identified as Abhi, Gypsin Daniel, and Sanjeev, accused in the murder case. According to officials, the voice heard in the video belonged to Gypsin Daniel. DGP Alok Kumar personally visited the jail and questioned the inmates. The inmates claimed that a Nigerian national imprisoned two years ago had given them the phones, SIM cards, and chargers before his release.

Officials believe the incident is linked to recent administrative changes. These changes involve assigning prisoners to different barracks based on alphabetical order of their names to break communication between them. Abhi's older brother, Darshan, was moved to a quarantine barrack on March 27th. These videos were recorded shortly after this change.

Concerns over network signal

A complaint was filed against the three inmates at the Parappana Agrahara police station on March 28. A parallel departmental inquiry is underway against prison staff. Active mobile network signals were detected in some parts of the prison premises, raising questions about security. Telecom companies have been warned to take immediate steps to prevent abuse within the premises.

The prison administration stated that despite this incident, reform measures would continue. A senior official stated that efforts to streamline and improve the prison cannot be hindered by vested interests. During the investigation, inmates were also found to have videos of other inmates watching movies from OTT platforms on their mobile phones.

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