The Anti-corruption Bureau (ACB) busts the Ajmer Central jail’s corruption racket. Rajasthan’s Ajmer central jail was apparently running a special VIP scheme for prisoners from rich families.
The well-to-do prisoners were provided VIP facilities and banned products like cigarettes and tobacco at higher prices. One officer said, “The rate charged for one packet of cigarette was between Rs 12,000 and Rs 15,000 and a packet of tobacco would cost between Rs 300 and Rs 500,”.
“During the investigation, we found that between barrack numbers 1 to barrack number 15 had a VIP room for those inmates who came from a sound financial background. Marking on these rooms were made with chalks. These inmates were provided with various facilities like a clean room, special food, clean clothes etc,” reported the official.
Some privileged prisoners had the option to avail the benefits of such VIP rooms for the price of Rs. 8 Lakhs for a month.
The financial arrangement took place between families of the prisoner’s and the jail staff outside the jail compounds. The Money was either presented in cash or transferred into bank accounts. The ACB officials have frozen 18 bank accounts for investigations, and are retrieving information from banks for the rest.
ACB first busted the corruption racket in July, and have arrested 12 people yet. Of the 12, four are said to be jail employees, two prisoners and relatives to a prisoner.
The arrest of one former jailor, Jaswant Singh and three middlemen—Rajendra Choudhary, Anil Choudhary and Sita Ram has brought into light that the bribery payouts accounted for about 25 lakhs monthly.
While the investigation is still on, most ACB officials denied revealing their identities and said that the other jails and their staff are also being watched.
