Choudwar: The Commissionerate Police conducted a surprise raid at Choudwar Circle Jail Thursday afternoon ahead of the Assembly and Lok Sabha elections as a preventive measure.
A team comprising Cuttack Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Akhilesvar Singh, the Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (ADCP), IICs of eight police stations and six platoon forces conducted a search in the jail from 11:30am to 1pm.
Choudwar jail has been on the prime focus of the Commissionerate Police as allegations have come to the fore that some jail inmates are using cell phones and are running contraband business from the inside jail. Allegations of physical and mental torture of some of the jail inmates have also surfaced during the past few days.
A video of illegal and unauthorised activities inside the jail has gone viral on social media recently, said sources. The jail authorities, however, denied such allegations.
Police Commissioner Satyajit Mohanty said, “Nothing objectionable was found from the jail. The jail authorities are checking the security arrangement thoroughly, he added.
“We conducted the raid as per the guidelines of the Election Commission of India (ECI) as a precautionary measure. Sometimes under trial prisoners and lifers are involved in anti-social activities from the jail which may affect the conduct of free and fair elections.”
When asked about the death of a prisoner, Subhransu Sekhar Das, he said, “We have handed over the investigation to the ACP and action will be taken as per law.”
Jail Superintendent Rabindra Nath Swain said around 50 cells, 982 prisoners and all empty places were searched and no irregularity was found.
Notably, SIM cards of several companies, cell phones, LED television set, perfume and many tobacco products were found during 2014 raid. Likewise, several kinds of contrabands were seized from different cells of the jail during the raid conducted in 2016.