Bengaluru, March 31 (NationPress) A 27-year-old woman named Rithika Rai has been taken into custody for allegedly trying to smuggle SIM cards and illegal drugs into the Bengaluru Central Prison, according to police reports released on Tuesday.

The incident transpired on March 26 at approximately 4 PM in the General Interview Section of the prison, a designated area for screening visitors prior to their meetings with inmates. Rithika had acquired a visitor pass to see an undertrial prisoner, Farhan Khan.

During a routine security check, a female Head Constable on duty became suspicious and requested Rithika to undergo a thorough physical inspection in the designated area. The search uncovered that Rithika had hidden three packets containing illegal substances along with three Airtel 5G SIM cards in her private areas.

The confiscated items reportedly consisted of around 30 grams of ganja and 30 grams of other narcotic substances. These items were seized, sealed in the presence of senior prison security officials, and sent for further forensic analysis.

Following a complaint lodged by the Assistant Sub-Inspector on duty, a formal case has been filed against Rithika Rai under relevant provisions of the Karnataka Prisons (Amendment) Act, 2022, and the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act.

Authorities revealed that the arrested individual attempted to circumvent security protocols to deliver contraband to the inmate. Supporting materials, including testimonies from involved staff, the inmate's details, and the visitor pass, have been compiled for the case.

Ongoing investigations are in progress.

It is noteworthy that on March 12, a jail warden at Bengaluru Prison was also arrested for attempting to smuggle drugs into the facility. During a routine inspection, officials discovered ganja, a smoking pipe, and methamphetamine in his possession.

Previously, on December 7, 2025, a staff member at Bengaluru's Parappana Agrahara Central Prison was apprehended while attempting to smuggle prohibited items concealed in his undergarments into the secured environment.

Rahul Patil, a warden at the central prison, was stopped at the main entrance after security personnel from the Karnataka State Industrial Security Force detected irregularities.

The metal detector at the door reportedly activated multiple times, leading to a comprehensive search.

During the investigation, guards discovered two cigarette packets and about 60 grams of a thin, paper-like narcotic substance allegedly hidden on his person.