Bengaluru, Nov 10 (NationPress) Karnataka Home Minister G. Parameshwara revealed on Monday that the Chief Superintendent of the prison has been reassigned, while two other officials faced suspension due to illicit activities reported at Bengaluru Central Prison.

During a press briefing after a meeting with senior officials from the Karnataka State Prison and Correctional Services Department, he addressed issues surrounding “administration and security within the state's prisons.”

He confirmed that three officers were held accountable for the situation at Bengaluru’s Central Prison. Chief Superintendent K. Suresh has been transferred immediately, while Immediate Superintendent Magery and Assistant Superintendent Ashok Bhajantri have been suspended.

In a notable change, an IPS officer will now be appointed as the Chief Superintendent of Parappana Agrahara Prison. This position will consistently be filled by an IPS officer moving forward, he noted.

Parameshwara mentioned that the Bengaluru Central Prison currently accommodates around 5,000 inmates, including both undertrials and convicts, distributed among various barracks. As the prison often houses “celebrity inmates,” it garners substantial public interest. In light of recent events, a High-Power Committee has been established to conduct an extensive inquiry.

This committee will not only evaluate Parappana Agrahara but all prisons statewide and provide a comprehensive report. Terms of reference will be issued to the committee to address every shortcoming, including problems with non-functional CCTV systems.

Heading the committee will be ADGP (Law and Order) Hitendra, with IGP Sandeep Patil, SP Amarnath Reddy, and SP Rishyant as members. District Collectors and Superintendents of Police from their respective districts will serve as associate members, according to the minister.

Following the committee’s findings, strict disciplinary measures—potentially including suspension or termination—will be enforced against those deemed responsible. The committee is expected to submit its report within one month.

Initial findings indicate that two officers have already been suspended concerning the Parappana Agrahara incident, the minister stated.

CCTV cameras have been installed in all prisons, and a command center will soon be established at the headquarters to monitor activities across all state jails. Senior officials, including the DG or ADGP (Prisons), will oversee this system, which must be operational within 15 days.

A technical audit will also be conducted to evaluate the performance of CCTV and other surveillance technologies. The system will be enhanced to ensure that all information reaches the headquarters in real-time, Parameshwara remarked.

Due to mobile phone jammers placed in prisons, residents nearby have experienced signal disruptions. A technical team will be organized to ensure that signal blockage is limited to prison premises (“shadow areas”) and that any smuggled mobile phones remain non-functional.

The number of baggage scanners and other security equipment will be doubled, he added.

The government has allocated Rs 2 crore for additional CCTV systems and Rs 15 crore for constructing 10 new towers. Tenders will be issued immediately to initiate work.

Prison officers who have held the same position for five years will be transferred without delay. The minister acknowledged the current shortage of prison staff.

Approval has been granted to recruit 197 warders, 22 instructors, and three assistant superintendents. Proposals have also been submitted for recruiting 983 warders and 17 jailers, with actions to follow soon.

All prison superintendents and officials have been given firm directives. “Whether incidents are past or present cannot serve as an excuse,” Parameshwara stated.

“Whoever was on duty when prohibited items entered the prison will be held accountable,” he affirmed.

He stressed that senior officers are responsible for overseeing their subordinates. All prison officers must maintain direct communication with headquarters, and senior officials must conduct monthly or bi-monthly inspections of all prisons.

District Collectors and SPs have been instructed to visit prisons and report to headquarters. The government is prepared to act against any violations once the high-power committee delivers its report, Parameshwara confirmed.

Media collaboration will also be sought for investigating such incidents. The NIA report concerning prison-related issues was discussed in the meeting and will be integrated into the committee’s report, he indicated.

The high-power committee has one month to complete its investigation, and the findings will be made public. “Everyone should be aware of what transpired. This time, we will ensure complete transparency,” declared the Home Minister.

He also mentioned that although IPS officers had never previously served as Chief Superintendents, an SP-rank officer will be appointed immediately, with DIG-rank officers assigned in the future.

The meeting included attendance from Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Tushar Girinath, DGP and IGP M.A. Saleem, Home Department Secretary K.V. Sharath Chandra, Bengaluru City Police Commissioner B. Dayanand, and ADGP (ISD) Chandrashekhar.