RANCHI: Assistant Jailor Devnath Ram and Jamadar Vinod Kumar Yadav were suspended with immediate effect after a video of high-profile inmates partying at Birsa Munda Central Jail in Ranchi went viral on social media.
One of the inmates has been identified as Vidhu Gupta, an accused in the liquor scam case, while the other is Vicky Bhalotia, an accused in the GST scam.
The viral video is said to be from the special hall located within the jail premises and was reportedly shot a few months ago. Both high-profile inmates can be seen dancing in shorts and T-shirts to the tune of a Haryanvi song.
Meanwhile, State BJP President and Leader of the Opposition Babulal Marandi has demanded a judicial probe into the alleged illegal facilities and luxury arrangements being provided to influential prisoners in Jharkhand jails.
Marandi has urged the Jharkhand High Court to take suo motu cognisance of the matter and order a judicial inquiry led by a sitting judge into the “dirty games” inside state jails and the role of senior officials. He said only a court-monitored probe can expose the truth and restore public faith in the system.
Reacting sharply to the video, Marandi said the footage was not from a liquor shop or dance bar but from Ranchi’s Hotwar Central Jail, where leaders like Lalu Prasad Yadav and Hemant Soren have been incarcerated in corruption cases.
Marandi alleged that separate rules exist for influential inmates who use their money and political connections to obtain various comforts behind bars. Special wards, he claimed, have been constructed for these VIP inmates, where an “entry fee” and monthly expenses are charged to maintain their luxurious lifestyle.
“Some high-profile prisoners, under the protection of the Hemant Soren government, are running a complete system of luxury and indulgence inside Jharkhand jails,” said Marandi. He added that this is possible only through the connivance of jail officials and staff who allow such activities in violation of the Jail Manual in exchange for money.
Marandi said that despite several warnings to the government about these illegal practices, no action was taken. Instead, an officer named Robert Nishant Besra, who tried to stop such activities and refused to provide “special hospitality” to VIP inmates, was transferred.
Referring to the viral video incident, Marandi said that the suspension of two employees was merely a formality. He also expressed surprise over the reinstatement of Dinesh Verma, a jailer who was suspended just twenty days earlier from Hazaribagh Jail for granting undue facilities to prisoner Vinay Singh.
Verma, Marandi said, has now been appointed in charge of Birsa Munda Central Jail, which he described as a “reward posting.”
Marandi also questioned the role of the Jail Inspector General (IG), asking what “magic wand” allowed such a quick reinstatement. He asserted that these activities cannot take place without the permission or involvement of senior officers and held the Jail IG directly responsible.