Inquiry ordered after Tiruchy jail warden strip searched

Rajan Babu, the warden, who is a Grade 1 official, was reportedly so traumatised by the experience that he left home after informing his family members that he felt like committing suicide. Meanwhile, the ADGP of Prisons has ordered an inquiry based on the complaint from the victim. According to sources, in order to prevent the smuggling of banned goods to the inmates here, a process of thorough check at the entrance of the jail had been initiated, after some inmates were caught in the process of trying to smuggle mobile phones, SIM cards and ganja. 

Recently, a teacher inside the prison was found carrying pornographic journals meant for the inmates and was booked under various sections.  Warders, and other staff of the prison are not exempt from the search. In this situation, on August 19, the Grade 1 head warden Rajan Babu was reportedly stripped and searched in front of the inmates at Circuit Block on suspicion of smuggling in mobile phones to the prisoners. 

Sources inside the prison said grade 1 head warden Muthukrishnan and assistant jailer Kaliaperumal informed Rajan Babu they received a tip off that he was smuggling banned goods to the prisoners. When Rajan Babu denied the allegation and asked them to search him in a room, the duo strip searched him in full view of the inmates, twice, for around 10 minutes, with a few minutes break in betweeb and found nothing on him. 

A traumatised Rajan Babu failed to report for duty the next day and when other wardens went in search of him, the family informed the warden’s colleagues that he was missing after the incident and that there was no word from him. However, Rajan Babu returned home on Tuesday (August 23) and sent a petition to the ADGP (Prisons) and the Prison Superintendent Nikila Nagendran. 

Subsequently, an inquiry was ordered under the supervision of the DIG (Prisons), Tiruchy Range, K Jayabharathi. On Thursday, the process of inquiry began and the officials involved in the search were questioned.  On Friday, the Superintendent retrieved the footage from CCTV camera from the prison premises. Informed sourcs said a report would be submitted to the AGDP (Prisons) in a couple of days, sources added. Repeated attempts by DTNext to contact DIG Jayabharathi were futile.