A viral video of three inmates using mobile phones inside Parappana Agrahara in Bengaluru has led to a furore, coming as it does after months of a police crackdown on items banned in jail such as mobile phones and weapons.
The video likely went viral after it was telecast by a Kannada news channel on Saturday, March 28. A complaint was then filed at the Parappana Agrahara police station on March 28 against the three inmates seen in the video.
The leaked video shows three undertrial inmates in prison using mobile phones and recording themselves, and watching content on streaming platforms.
The undertrials featured in the videos have been identified as Abhi, an accused in a murder case, Zypsin Daniel, and Sanjeev. The voice heard in the clips is reportedly that of Zypsin.
The inmates were also heard discussing the ongoing IPL matches, and heard making allegations against senior prison authorities claiming that top officials, including the Director General of Prisons and Correctional Services, Alok Kumar, had provided them with the mobile devices.
However, during an internal probe, the trio allegedly admitted to the videos being fabricated and intended to derail reforms initiated by the DGP to clean up the prison system. The probe has rejected the allegations against the officer.
Following the circulation of these videos, three warders, Niranjan Kamath, Hanumantappa Hadpad, and Shivanand Karlabatti were suspended.
According to a report by The Hindu, the officials probing the case suspect that the footage could have been staged deliberately as part of a smear campaign aimed at Alok Kumar. Investigators are now examining whether the inmates orchestrated the recordings to create a misleading narrative, possibly driven by internal grievances.
Three mobile phones concealed deep inside a pipeline were recovered from the Central Prison, a report by Times of India said.
Chief Superintendent (Prisons) Anshu Kumar led the search operation, during which the devices were found wrapped in milk packets and hidden at a depth of around three feet. The report added that scanners are unable to detect contraband buried at such depths.
Prison authorities suspect the episode is linked to recent administrative changes aimed at disrupting communication networks among inmates. As part of these measures, prisoners have been reassigned to barracks based on the alphabetical order of their names. In this process, Abhi’s elder brother Darshan, also an accused in the same murder case, was shifted to a quarantine barrack on March 27. Officials believe the videos were recorded soon after this move.
The TOI report added that, during the inquiry, the undertrials claimed that a Nigerian national who had been lodged in the prison two years ago had handed over the phones, SIM cards, and a charger before his release.
Officials also detected active mobile network signals in parts of the prison, raising concerns about gaps in surveillance. A warning has been issued to the telecom service provider to address the issue and prevent further misuse.
This article was written by a student intern working with TNM.