Hoshiarpur, July 5: In a significant development, Punjab Police has arrested a Deputy Superintendent of the Central Jail in Hoshiarpur as part of its ongoing investigation into a viral video allegedly filmed and circulated by a jailed gangster from inside the high-security prison.
The arrested officer, Harbhajan Singh, was taken into custody by the Crime Investigation Agency (CIA) during the intervening night of July 4 and 5. The action comes after an FIR was registered at the City Police Station, Hoshiarpur, on June 14 following the circulation of the controversial video on social media.
According to police officials, the Deputy Superintendent has been booked under relevant provisions of the Punjab Prisons and Correctional Services Act, the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Investigators, however, have not yet revealed the specific evidence or allegations that led to his arrest.
The case centres around a video allegedly recorded by gangster Manpreet Singh alias Manna, a resident of Bathinda district who is currently lodged in Hoshiarpur Central Jail. In the video, the inmate levelled serious allegations against certain prison officials, accusing them of harassment, extortion, and facilitating the supply of narcotic substances inside the jail. He also claimed that some jail staff assaulted inmates and appealed to Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to introduce reforms for improving prison conditions and strengthening inmate rehabilitation.
Following the video’s circulation, prison authorities initiated an internal probe. During the course of the investigation, police recovered a SIM-less mobile phone from the possession of the gangster inside the jail, raising serious questions over security arrangements and surveillance mechanisms within the high-security prison.
The incident has sparked a political row in Punjab, with opposition parties demanding accountability and questioning how a gangster was able to record and circulate a video from inside a secured correctional facility.
Police said the investigation remains underway and further legal action will be taken based on the outcome of the ongoing probe. (KNC)
