According to a report, calls were made to Jammu & Kashmir, Naxal-hit Gadchiroli
Nagpur: A special team of Prison Vigilance Department, Pune, dispatched by Additional Director General (Prisons) to Nagpur Central Jail on Thursday conducted searches at ‘Anda Cell,’ and ‘Fasi Yard’ and found a mobile phone and three batteries. Dhantoli police have registered a case against unknown accused following a complaint by Jail Superintendent in this regard, reports in local media said.
The special team was in Nagpur to to inquire into the futile attempt made by a MCOCA detenue to smuggle packets containing 51 gramme marijuana and 15 batteries of different handsets inside the prison on Thursday. The searches yielded shocking results as the team found a cell phone, a SIM card and three batteries in the high security area. During the searches, the team stumbled upon a Kechaoda Rose Gold handset (IMEI No. 8668828057957497 and 866828057957505), an Airtel SIM (No.8991000904365397251) and three batteries outside Barrack No 1, ‘Badi Gol’, Circle No 1.
According to another report in local Times of India daily, a highly confidential input of calls being made to the Jammu and Kashmir and Naxal-affected Gadchiroli from the Nagpur Central Jail has now prompted the security and intelligence agencies to deal with the case from national security point of view. Sources also stated several calls were also made to Mumbai from Anda Cell and Fasi Yard, the report added.
According to police sources, an in-depth probe has been mounted to ascertain . “who had made those calls to Jammu and Kashmir, Gadchiroli and Mumbai. The ones who had received those calls are also being traced and are now under the scanner of security agencies. Even some cops had received calls from the Nagpur Central Jail which we are now probing, said the report in ToI.
It may be mentioned that Dhantoli Police had arrested eight persons, including suspended PSI Pradip Nitnawne from Gadchiroli Range, MCOCA accused Suraj Kanhaiyalal Kawle (22), a resident of Khaperkheda, Shubham Kawle (Suraj Kawle’s brother), his friend Suraj Waghmare, Moreshwar Sonwane, Mukesh Babu Panjabrao Nayudu, Bhagirath Thardayal and Arthav Khatakhti (One of themembers of hardened criminal Sheikhu’s gang) and police constable Sachin (brother of tainted PSI Nitnawne) for operating a massive racket of smuggling banned substances like narcotics, cell phones, batteries and phone chargers inside the prison.
The racket was busted when MCOCA accused Suraj Kawle made a futile attempt to sneak in Marijuana packets and batteries of different handsets in a chargesheet filed inside the jail on Monday afternoon. After two days of the incident, 350 police personnel had conducted searches in the jail premises but could lay hands only on five gram marijuana from a prisoner. Preliminary investigations by the Crime Branch on the basis of the call data records of the accused’s cell phone revealed that most of calls were allegedly being made from ‘Anda Cell’ and ‘Fasi Yard’ where top gangsters, terrorists and Naxals are lodged.
The team sent by ADG (Prisons), Pune, conducting a simultaneous internal inquiry found the handset, SIM cards and three batteries lying abandoned in front of the high security area in the jail. After seizing the banned objects, sepoy Vijay Ramkrishna Solanke (25), a resident of Quarter, Building No 7, Central Jail lodged a fresh complaint with Dhantoli Police who registered a case under Sections 42, 45 (12) of the Prisons Act and Section 188 of the Indian Penal Code.
