The Inspector General, Prisons, Jharkhand, on Thursday suspended Sub-Jailer Devnath Ram and ASI Vinod Yadav for negligence after an alleged video showing liquor scam accused Vidhu Gupta and Vicky Bhalotia dancing inside Birsa Munda Central Jail went viral on social media.
Taking cognizance of the matter, the prison department ordered an inquiry, and after the allegations were found to be true, the Jail IG suspended two officers for negligence. The viral clip, said to be recorded a few days ago, shows the two accused dancing in a special hall inside the prison, where certain inmates are reportedly provided extra facilities.
Those recently released from the jail confirmed that the video was indeed shot inside the special hall of Birsa Munda Central Jail. According to officials, Vidhu Gupta, Managing Director of Prism Holography, was arrested by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) in July in connection with a major liquor scam.
Gupta’s company is accused of supplying fake holograms for liquor bottles in Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh, allegedly paying around Rs 90 crore in kickbacks to government officials. Although arrested, Gupta was later granted default bail due to delay in filing the chargesheet.
The other person seen in the video, Vicky Bhalotia, is lodged in Ranchi jail in connection with a money laundering case.
This is not the first time such an incident has occurred in Jharkhand’s prisons. Earlier, a prisoner in Hazaribagh Jail was found using a mobile phone, leading to the suspension of the jailer and several staff members.
In the month of October, disciplinary action was taken against multiple officials of the Birsa Munda Central Jail. The latest video has once again raised serious questions about the availability of mobile phones and luxury facilities for high-profile inmates inside Jharkhand’s jails — and how such privileges continue to reach them despite repeated crackdowns.
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