An undertrial inmate of Ferozepur Jail in Punjab was seen celebrating his friend’s birthday on Instagram Live in a video widely shared on social media, raising concerns about lapses in security provisions in prisons.
The video of the live session shows inmate Aman Kumar via his social media account ‘aman_a_K_56’ using a smartphone inside the jail. He can be seen engaging in conversation with his friend and celebrating through dancing and singing.
Ferozepur, PunjabUndertrial prisoner celebrates friend's birthday in Ferozepur Central Jail through Instagram live.
Jails in Punjab are becoming a haven for dreaded criminals with zero restrictions. Law and order in shambles under Aam Aadmi Party in the border state. pic.twitter.com/jM0OVbQLHr
— AAP watch (@AAP_watch) June 27, 2023
Local police tracked the mobile phone in the possession of the accused using specialised equipment after a complaint was lodged by the Jail Superintendent, according to a Hindustan Times report.
Kumar was lodged in the central jail in a murder case.
Superintendent of Police (Investigation) Ferozepur, Randhir Kumar, confirmed that a video showing Aman going live from jail had gone viral on social media. Following the complaint, a case was registered against Aman and an unidentified person under Section 42 of the Prisons Act, and investigations are currently underway, he said.
A post with the video of the incident shared on Twitter accuses the Aam Aadmi Party-led government in Punjab for the state of “shambles" of law and order situation in the the border region. “Jails in Punjab are becoming a haven for dreaded criminals with zero restrictions. Law and order in shambles under Aam Aadmi Party in the border state," the tweet read.
Mobile phone is listed under prohibited articles in prisons.
In 2022, Deputy Superintendent of Ferozepur Central Jail, Gurcharan Singh Dhariwal, was arrested for allegedly taking money and providing mobile phones and drugs to jail inmates. He has been booked under sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), the Prisons Act and the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS) Act.