Hoshiarpur (Punjab), Jul 5: A Deputy Superintendent of the Central Jail here has been arrested in connection with the investigation into a purported viral video recorded by a gangster from inside the prison, police said on Sunday.
Harbhajan Singh, posted as Deputy Superintendent at the Central Jail, was arrested by the Crime Investigation Agency (CIA) Staff during the intervening night of July 4 and 5 in connection with an FIR registered at City Police Station, Hoshiarpur, on June 14, they said.
He has been booked under relevant provisions of the Punjab Prisons and Correctional Services Act, the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), police said.
The police, however, did not immediately disclose the specific allegations or evidence that led to the arrest of the jail official.
The case stems from a purported video of Manpreet Singh alias Manna, a resident of Talwandi Sabo in Bathinda district, who is lodged in the Central Jail, Hoshiarpur. The video surfaced on social media on June 14.
In the video, the Manpreet alleged harassment by jail staff, demands for money and the availability of narcotics inside the prison.
He also claimed that some jail personnel assaulted inmates and appealed to Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to undertake reforms in jails and provide inmates an opportunity to improve their lives.
Following the circulation of the video, jail authorities initiated an inquiry into the allegations.
During the investigation, SIM-less mobile phone was recovered from Manpreet Singh's possession inside the jail, police said.
The video triggered a political row, with opposition leaders questioning the functioning of the jail administration and how a gangster lodged in a high-security prison was able to circulate such a video. (Agencies)
