BENGALURU: Bangalore Central Prison mismanagement is again under the spotlight after jailed Kannada actor and murder accused Darshan was reportedly spotted smoking and having tea with some others inside the prison premises. Nine prison officials of Bangalore Central Prison were suspended after a photograph of the incarcerated actor reportedly enjoying special facilities inside the high security prison went viral.
Speaking to TNIE, former director general and inspector general of police ST Ramesh, who had also headed the Prisons department as additional director general of police (ADGP) and inspector general of prison between 2006 and 2008, said that “prison administration has numerous challenges but it is no rocket science. It is an administration applying basic principles and norms with the Karnataka Prison Act & Rules and prisons manual for guidance. The prison chief may be required to take tough measures and decisions, even against senior prison personnel in the event of dereliction of duty, and act without fear or favour. One should have the right attitude and ability to resist pressure. Unfortunately, there are no takers for the post of prisons chief. It is not a cushy job”.
The former police chief said surprise visits, searches, visits and inspections by the head of the department should be held periodically, and stern action should be taken against personnel responsible for violating prison rules, irrespective of their seniority.
As head of Prisons department, Ramesh had submitted two reports to the government against the then deputy inspector general, Prisons, after he had seized a mobile phone from a detenu in a surprise search operation at Bangalore Central Prison, followed by seizure of large quantities of stores, which were being sold in an unauthorised manner. “It wasn’t an easy decision but I would have faltered if I had failed in my duty to bring it to the notice of the government. The message went down loud and clear to the lower rungs,” he said.
Meanwhile, some former prison officers, on condition of anonymity, said that dealing with criminals is not an easy job, especially in times of illicit entry of mobile phones and rampant corruption inside prisons.
“There’s a 40 per cent staff shortage, mostly at the level of head warders and warders, who are responsible for looking after the barracks, conducting searches of rooms and inmates’ luggage etc. Criminals threaten and blackmail jail staff. Some of them also offer money and other favours in exchange for relaxing or overlooking control inside the prison premises. The criminals end up controlling the prisons if no tough and timely action is taken by the prison administration,” they said.
“Four towers were installed at Bangalore prison to block calls from inside the prison but because the jammers were restricting calls made by people living outside, in the vicinity of the prison, the frequency was lowered. This is being misused by jail inmates, who use mobile phones with impunity. Staff shortage and corruption are the bane of prison administration. It is on the verge of collapse,” alleged a former prison officer.