Mr. Kumar inspected the prison and its barracks and later told reporters that no mobile phones were found in the jail during the inspection. However, he admitted that mobile signals were available in some parts of the prison premises.
Though jammers have been installed, additional jammers may have to be installed without causing inconvenience to people living in the areas neighbouring the prison, he said.
Explaining the need for a surprise inspection, Mr. Kumar said officials could set things right if they were informed in advance about his visit.
He said he had noticed certain loopholes in the prison and had issued necessary instructions to the officials to address them.
To a question, he said strict action would be taken against inmates using mobile phones and officials found facilitating their use.
“We will act against the use of mobile phones or contraband in the prison premises,” he said.
Mr. Kumar said he also interacted with the inmates. “They wanted to speak to us and we let them speak,” he said, adding that the interaction would help him obtain “first-hand information”.
However, he said complaints made by inmates could not be taken at “face value” and that an inquiry was necessary to verify their veracity. The officials would look into the complaints and address them wherever necessary, he said.
Parappana Agrahara
Regarding the seizure of a mobile phone from former MP Prajwal Revanna’s cell in Parappana Agrahara Central Jail, Mr. Kumar said the matter was under police investigation.“I cannot say anything about what was found there or what was not found. The police are currently investigating the matter,” he said.
The Prisons Department is taking measures to prevent the use of mobile phones in prisons. During the last eight to nine months, about 300 mobile phones had been seized from Parappana Agrahara Central Prison, he said.
He declined to claim that the prison had been completely cleared of mobile phones. Even if four or five mobile phones were still inside the prison premises, Mr. Kumar expressed confidence that the officials would trace them.
He pointed out that checking for mobile phones was a continuous process. While about 50 new inmates enter the Mysuru prison every day, around 200 enter the jail premises in Bengaluru daily.
Some inmates conceal SIM cards in their mouths or even swallow them, while others hide them inside their bodies, he said, explaining the different methods used to smuggle mobile phones and SIM cards into prisons. Despite the challenges, efforts were underway to prevent mobile phones from entering the prison, he added.