Navi Mumbai: A mobile phone without any sim card was found inside Taloja Central jail in Navi Mumbai. The Kharghar police are further investigating to find out who owned it and whether it was used inside the jail.
Sources from the prison department alleged the mobile phone was found near the barrack of ex-encounter specialist Pradeep Sharma. Sharma is lodged in a separate barrack in the jail in the murder case of Mansukh Hiren from Thane.
"The mobile phone was found by jailor and police constable Chavan during a night round," said sources who further alleged after the jail authorities doubt some foul play about the worker an inmate doing daily cleaning of Sharma barracks.
"A small mobile phone was found in a carry bag nearby the Sharma's barrack. However, the jail authorities suspect the mobile phone is believed to be used by Sharma. As he has a history and can't stay without a mobile phone," added sources.
Sources from the prison department alleged that the mobile phone was found on weekdays. But the authorities tried to silence the issue. However, the discussion among the staff spread to the higher authorities, accordingly, the jail authorities then informed the Kharghar police.
According to sources from the jail, the mobile was found in the second week of October and it came out to the police last week. "The mobile was found abandoned near one of the barracks. It had no sim card in it. We are checking the IMEI number to get details of the inmate who was using it," said Sandipan Shinde, senior police inspector, Kharghar police station.
Taloja Central Jail is a high-security jail, now a question is being raised on how can a mobile phone reach inside the jail premises. "We have initiated an inquiry to check how the mobile phone can reach inside the premises. As there is a lot of checking of each and everything. We suspect it is not possible with the help of the jail staff," said sources from the jail.
Taloja Central Jail at present has high profile inmates including bomb blasts and underworld gang members. "With many high profile criminals lodged in the jail. The question is being raised as to who was using the mobile phone. Also, for what purpose was it used," said a police officer.
In September 2021, a 27-year-old murder accused lodged in Taloja Jail as an undertrial allegedly escaped by scaling and jumping off the 25-ft-high perimeter wall of the jail. The escaped prisoner has been identified as Sanjay Mahendra Yadav, arrested by the Bhandup police in 2018 for allegedly killing a 17-year-old collegian.
