Hoshiarpur Central Jail Deputy Superintendent Harbhajan Singh and a warder have been arrested on charges of drug smuggling, following a viral video posted by a jail inmate that exposed the illegal activity. The arrests were made late Wednesday night by a special investigation team (SIT) of the Punjab Police.
Action Triggered by Inmate's Viral Video
The crackdown came after an inmate, serving time in the same jail, released a video on social media showing drugs being smuggled inside the prison premises. The video, which circulated widely, prompted the jail administration to initiate an internal inquiry. Subsequently, the SIT was formed to investigate the matter thoroughly.
According to police sources, the video clearly depicted the deputy superintendent and the warder facilitating the entry of contraband into the jail. The SIT, after gathering evidence and recording statements, arrested both officials. They have been booked under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and relevant sections of the Prisons Act.
Details of the Arrests
Deputy Superintendent Harbhajan Singh, a senior officer at the jail, was taken into custody along with warder Gurpreet Singh. The police recovered a significant quantity of heroin and other drugs from their possession. Preliminary investigations suggest that the duo had been operating a drug racket inside the jail for several months, supplying narcotics to inmates in exchange for money.
“The arrests were made based on concrete evidence from the viral video and subsequent investigation. We are probing the involvement of other jail staff and inmates,” said a senior police officer involved in the case. The SIT has also seized mobile phones and other electronic devices from the accused to trace their network.
Impact on Jail Administration
The incident has raised serious questions about security and oversight in Hoshiarpur Central Jail. The state government has ordered a high-level inquiry into the matter and directed the jail department to tighten security protocols. The Director General of Prisons has suspended two other jail officials pending investigation.
This is not the first time that drug smuggling has been reported in Punjab jails. In recent years, several cases have emerged where jail staff were found complicit in smuggling drugs and mobile phones to inmates. The state government has been under pressure to reform prison administration and curb the menace.
Legal Proceedings and Next Steps
The arrested officials have been produced before a local court, which remanded them to police custody for further interrogation. The SIT is expected to question them about their links with drug peddlers outside the jail. Meanwhile, the inmate who posted the viral video has been shifted to another jail for safety reasons.
“We are committed to eradicating drug abuse from our prisons. Strict action will be taken against anyone found involved in such illegal activities,” said the Deputy Inspector General of Prisons, Jalandhar Range. The case has garnered widespread attention, with civil society groups demanding a thorough cleanup of the prison system.
