Hazaribag Jail Staff Suspended Amid Land Scam Investigation and Security Overhaul

Hazaribag: Six wardens of the Jai Prakash Narayan Central Jail, Hazaribag, including jailer Dinesh Singh, have been suspended and the services of six contractual employees, who were mostly ex-servicemen, terminated during a search of the premises on the intervening night of Tuesday and Wednesday after a land scam accused lodged in the central jail sent an sms about poor food and other irregularities to unidentified govt authorities. A retired jail constable has also been arrested on charges of conniving with the jail staff in order to provide facilities to a few influential inmates in violation of jail manual, said Hazaribag central jail superintendent Jitendra Singh.IG (prisons) Sudarshan Prasad Mandal had led the Tuesday night’s search. Security has been beefed up on the premises as well as in the neighbourhood, the jail super added.Sources said the sms was sent by Binay Singh, who is imprisoned in the Khasmahal land scam case in Hazaribag.“Security arrangements have been divided into three shifts, each monitored by a magistrate, a sub-inspector, and six district police personnel. Mobile phone jammers have been re-activated inside the prison. The main gate has been permanently sealed and all entries and exits routed through a single side gate, where metal detectors have been installed,” said an official.Security tents have been set up for continuous checks of all visitors and staff. A total of 24 officers will be guarding the jail at all times. It would be mandatory for both visitors and jail staff to deposit their phones and electronic devices before entering the premise under the new security guidelines. All internal and external movements are being closely monitored with the help of CCTV cameras, he added.“The entire jail is on high alert mode to prevent any further irregularities,” said a source.Referring to arrested retired jail constable Ashok Sharma, officials admitted that he was forcing jail authorities to provide facilities in violation of the jail manual to Binay Singh.Ashok Sharma alias Sriniwas Sharma is known for his notoriety and was arrested number of times in the past for his involvement in a number of criminal cases, including murder of crusader lawyer Prashant Sahay in Hazaribag and the abduction of Luv Bhatia, son of prominent hotelier of Ranchi, in 2009. Known for earning huge wealth through wrong activities as well as taking big contracts, his daughter’s marriage in 2009 was attended by the who’s who of administrative and police department.