HYDERABAD: Bringing to light corruption in prisons department, state director general (prisons) VK Singh on Tuesday confirmed that the district central prison jailor Gopi Reddy had taken money from the associates of slain gangster Nayeemuddin for providing them luxuries in the jail.
Nayeem’s associates Pasam Srinivas and Sandela Sudhakar, who were lodged at the prison in August, were given mobile phones, other luxuries in return of monetary favours, said the DG.
“In our continuous fight against corruption, we received information that one of our jailors, Gopi Reddy has received illegal gratification from close aides of Nayeemuddin. It has been learnt that they were provided with luxuries and comforts against prison rules,” said Singh.
It is learnt that Gopi Reddy received money from one Puli Nagaraju, a friend of Pasam Srinivas and allowed unscheduled meetings, separate food items and access to cell phones, he said adding the officer has been placed under suspension.
Speaking to the Express, the DG said “All the allegations against senior officers are false. We have not found any such information during the inquiry. However, we are sending a report to the Special Investigation Team on the links of jailor Gopi Reddy with Nayeem’s associates.”
Jailor’s negligence resulted in prison break
On November 12, two convicted prisoners at the district central prison escaped by scaling up a 15-foot tall wall by using a bedsheet. The prisoners, Sainik Singh and Rajesh Yadav escaped from the jail, by crossing a high-tension wire, passing just above the peripheral wall of the prison. However, Sainik Singh was caught by the Bheemili police a day later and was handed over to the prison authorities.
Gopi Reddy was informed of the notoriety of Sainik Singh and Rajesh Yadav when the two were shifted from Cherlapally central prison to Warangal, and the jailor was asked to keep them in separate barracks.
“It is also said that he was instrumental in putting Rajesh and Sainik Singh in the same cell against the instructions of head office,” DG said.
“The inmates escaped from the prison on November 12. Our examination in various jails, revealed information only about Gopi Reddy, and no other officers were not involved in it,” Singh added.