Mangaluru: Mangaluru city police conducted a surprise raid at the district prison and seized 10 mobile phones allegedly being used by nine undertrial prisoners lodged in the facility.
The search was carried out following credible information that prisoners were possessing and using mobile phones inside the prison. The seized devices are now part of an investigation into how the phones entered the jail and how they were being used.
Police launch search at district prison
Mangaluru City Police Commissioner Sudheer Kumar Reddy CH said police received information about the use of mobile phones inside the district prison.
Based on the information, Barke police registered a case under Section 323 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Section 42 of the Karnataka Prisons Act.
As part of the investigation, police conducted searches inside the district prison. During the operation, officers recovered 10 smartphones from A Block of the prison.
Police suspect that the phones had been concealed and were being used by nine undertrial prisoners.
Nine undertrials named in investigation
The prisoners identified in connection with the recovery are Rifath Ali, Ibrahim Khalil, Ashfaq alias Juttu Ashfaq, Arshad, Dawood Farvez, Nazrath Ali, Shifan, Abdul Sadiq and Arfaz.
According to the police, the 10 mobile phones were recovered from A Block, where the accused prisoners were lodged.
The recovery of more phones than the number of prisoners named in the case has prompted police to investigate the possession, use and possible circulation of the devices within the prison premises.
The authorities are also examining other circumstances surrounding the seized phones as part of the ongoing investigation.
Four accused in Thokkottu murder case
Police said four of the nine prisoners are accused in the murder of rowdy sheeter Arif at the Thokkottu flyover on March 27.
The murder case is among the serious criminal cases involving some of the undertrials whose mobile phones were allegedly recovered during the prison search.
The police are examining whether the seized phones were being used for communication related to their existing criminal cases or for any other purpose. Further details will depend on the findings of the investigation.
Four face NDPS Act cases
Four other prisoners among those named are accused in drug-peddling cases registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.
The NDPS Act cases form another significant category among the prisoners allegedly found in possession of the mobile phones.
Police are now verifying the details associated with the devices, including their use and supply. Investigators are also looking into how the phones reached the prison despite restrictions on unauthorised mobile devices inside correctional facilities.
One accused under KCOCA
The remaining prisoner is an accused in a case registered under the Karnataka Control of Organised Crime Act (KCOCA) at Kankanady police station.
The involvement of prisoners facing cases under different serious criminal laws has prompted police to examine the wider circumstances surrounding the possession of the phones.
Authorities are expected to verify the mobile devices and other available evidence to determine whether the phones were being used solely for unauthorised communication or whether they were connected to any other criminal activity.
Police probe phone supply and usage
Commissioner Sudheer Kumar Reddy CH said Barke police are investigating both the use and supply of the seized mobile phones.
The investigation will seek to establish how the phones were brought into the prison, who supplied them and who had access to them. Police are also verifying other details related to the case.
The recovery has once again highlighted the challenge of preventing unauthorised communication devices from entering prisons. Mobile phones can enable prisoners to communicate with people outside the facility without authorisation, making their detection and removal an important part of prison security.
The surprise search and seizure of 10 smartphones is expected to help investigators trace the source of the devices and identify any wider network involved in supplying them.
Further action after investigation
The seized mobile phones have been taken into police custody as part of the investigation. Their contents and other relevant details will be examined in accordance with the legal process.
Police are continuing to verify the circumstances surrounding the possession and alleged use of the devices by the nine undertrials.
The investigation will determine whether additional individuals were involved in supplying or facilitating the use of the mobile phones inside the district prison. Further legal action will depend on the evidence gathered during the probe.