A video capturing the purported birthday celebration of an inmate, Anil alias Mani Rana, inside Ludhiana Central Jail has gone viral, leading to FIRs against 11 individuals. The footage, which surfaced on social media, shows inmates raising glasses and enjoying a celebration in one of the jail barracks. The incident occurred on December 21, and the jail officials have initiated an inquiry, seizing the phone used to record the video.
Jail Superintendent Shivraj Singh Nandgarh revealed that the inmates were celebrating the birthday of undertrial Arun Kumar alias Mani Rana, facing trial in a 2019 robbery case. Despite the recovery of a smartphone used to record the video, Mani Rana had damaged the device, making retrieval of pictures and videos impossible.
In response to the incident, an FIR under section 52-A (1) of the Prison Act has been registered against Arun alias Anil alias Mani at division number 7 police station. The authorities identified ten other inmates seen in the video and have requested the police to file FIRs against them. Notably, the jail complex lacks jammers to block mobile phone networks and internet access, with a request for installation sent to the government.
This incident follows a similar case in May 2021 when inmates enjoyed a “booze” party inside Ludhiana Central Jail, leading to the booking of jail officials and inmates. In both instances, the recovery of mobile phones from inmates raised concerns about security within the jail premises.
