Superintendent of Sorada sub-jail in Ganjam district was suspended following an allegation that his staff misbehaved with a woman who had gone to meet her husband lodged in a cell in the prison.
“We received the suspension order from Inspector General (prisons) office on Wednesday,” Berhampur Circle Jail Senior Superintendent Raghunath Majhi said,The suspension was ordered on the basis of preliminary inquiry and thorough investigation into the allegation levelled against Jailor-cum-Superintendent laxmikanta Pati, he said.
Jail inmates detained Pati for several hours inside a ward on Tuesday following the alleged incident on Monday. They relented and released him after police intervened. Two cases were registered in this connection.
Baijayanti Gouda, wife of murder accused Prasant Gouda, lodged a complaint alleging that jail staff misbehaved with her when she was in the jail to meet her husband.Pati also lodged an FIR against 10 inmates for illegally detaining him.
“We have registered two cases and are investigating the incidents,” said Sorada police station IIC SK Jena. Sources said Baijayanti objected when jail staff frisked her before she was allowed to meet her husband. A jail officer said they suspected that she was carrying contraband for the inmates.
“Jail staffers have been asked to search all materials carried by visitors,” said DIG (prisons), southern range, Gopabandhu Mallick. The practice started after an under trial prisoner was shot by a visitor at Bhanjanagar special jail on February 12, last year, he added.
Pati alleged that the inmates targeted him as he restricted supply of contraband to the jail with frequent raids. Recently, a mobile charger was recovered from the jail premises, he added.