5 undertrials lend cell phones to inmates, caught

Five undertrials at the Parappana Agrahara Central Prison were caught while doing brisk business: they were seen offering mobile phones to inmates to make calls.

Arun Kumar, Sharath, Ravi Kumar, Mahesh and Chethan Kumar were caught during a surprise raid by the prison police at barrack number 9 in the undertrial division. The team, led by inspector B K Kishore Kumar, also recovered three mobile phones and three SIM cards from the accused.

The government has installed high-tech 3G jammers at the prison at a cost of nearly Rs 7 crore, but it is of no use.

Investigations revealed that Arun and Chethan used to offer mobile phones to inmates to make calls and charged them between Rs 100 and Rs 500 per call, depending on the duration.

The police are checking the call record details, and have booked them under various sections of the Prison Act.

According to a police officer, most of the inmates were making calls and video calls on WhatsApp as it is impossible to decode or intercept these. "When we went to the central prison, the security personnel took our mobile phones. But we were shocked to find phones inside the prison," the officer said.

"Despite such security, how did the mobile phones get inside the prison," an officer asked. He said a representation would be made before the court, seeking custody of the five inmates to question them how as to how they smuggled the phones inside the prison.