Govt suspends 3 UP jail superintendents for laxity

LUCKNOW: The Uttar Pradesh government on Tuesday suspended superintendents of Bareilly central jail, Naini central jail and Banda district jail on charges of laxity, a month after the arrest of five officials of Chitrakoot jail for allegedly providing special favours to MLA Abbas Ansari, the son of mafia don Mukhtar Ansari.
Those suspended are superintendent of Banda jail, Avinash Gautam; Naini's senior jail superintendent, Shashikant Singh and Bareilly's superintendent Rajeev Shukla.
Officials said the action was likely the result of a surprise inspection at the three jails on April 1 during which some objectionable articles were recovered from the barracks.
Sources privy to the probe said objectionable items like cigarette lighters, spoons and other banned items were found during inspection by Prayagraj DM Sanjay Kumar and senior police officials at Naini jail.
Similar objectionable articles were also found in Bareilly and Banda jails.
To note, jailor and deputy jailor along with four other personnel of Bareilly central jail were suspended about a fortnight ago for allegedly facilitating meetings between former MLA Khalid Azim alias Ashraf, brother of gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed, and his aides illegally inside the jail.
It is also alleged that the plot to kill Umesh Pal, the prime witness in 2005 BSP MLA Raju Pal's murder, was hatched in Bareilly jail.
‘Dont give special treatment to any prisoner’
A senior official said currently the focus is on Banda jail where mafioso-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari is lodged. During the April 1 raid, the warders and other officials on duty were seen wearing ‘body-worn cameras’ that were switched off. Officials said prohibited item like forks were also recovered from the barracks. A report of all the three jails was submitted to the DG Jail and the government following which the action was taken. Principal secretary, prisons, Rajesh Kumar Singh, said strict instructions have been issued for not giving special treatment to any prisoner.