NEW DELHI: The Delhi government’s Anti-Corruption Branch (ACB) has busted an organised extortion and bribery racket operating in Delhi Prisons with the arrest of 11 people, including jail officials and advocates.
According to a statement issued by the ACB, the investigation had earlier exposed a well-organised criminal syndicate that allegedly extorted money from the family members of undertrial prisoners in return for providing protection, preferential treatment and other unauthorised facilities inside jails.
The ACB received a complaint on February 9, alleging that the complainant was being forced to make payments for the safety and comfort of his father and brother, both lodged as undertrial prisoners in Rohini Jail. A case was lodged, following which the ACB laid a trap that led to the arrest of six people.
They have been identified as Rohini jail warders Dinesh Dabas, Pankaj Kumar and Ravi Kumar, Tihar jail head warder Jogender, advocate Manish and one private individual Ashish Rana. A bribe amount of `one lakh was recovered during the operation.
Further investigation has now uncovered a larger criminal conspiracy. Analysis of bank accounts, financial transactions, digital evidence, and mobile phone data revealed that illegal payments were being routed through multiple bank accounts and withdrawn in cash for distribution among members of the syndicate, it said.
Based on the evidence collected during the investigation, five more accused were identified and arrested. They have been identified as Rohini jail’s assistant superintendent Sunil Kumar, Rohini jail head warder Yogesh, Rohini jail warder Jagbir, advocate Harender Bansal and private individual Viplove Khari.