Deputy superintendent booked for running extortion racket in Punjab’s Nabha jail

The deputy superintendent of Central Jail, Nabha, Prabhjot Singh was on Friday booked for running an extortion racket in the prison.

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The first information report (FIR) was registered against him under Sections 384 (extortion) and 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act for taking bribe. Though the additional director general of police, prisons, Verinder Kumar, who has been posted as the state vigilance bureau chief director, had asked for the case to be registered against jail superintendent Iqbal Singh Dhaliwal and Prabhjot Singh, but the police didn’t name the former in the FIR.

Patiala senior superintendent of police (SSP) Deepak Pareek said that the FIR against Prabhjot Singh, who is on the run, is based on legal opinion following an inquiry by the jail department that found evidence against the deputy superintendent. “If some other names crop up, we will examine them also. It’s the first step of the investigation. The role of Dhaliwal will also be examined,” he said.

Dhaliwal, who was transferred to Kapurthala as the jail superintendent on May 24, is also absconding, said officials.

Demanded ₹2 lakh from inmate to barrack: Complainant

According to complainant Palwinder Singh, his son Bhavneet Singh was shifted from the Ropar jail to Nabha, where he was lodged in a separate cell. To put him in a regular barrack, the jail officials demanded ₹2 lakh. He was provided a phone from which he was made to call his father to provide the money. Prabhjot Singh allegedly collected the money around 10pm on May 20 from a spot near Punjabi University and Bhavneet was shifted to a normal barrack the same night.

In his report, deputy inspector general (prisons) Surinder Singh said that evidence pointed to the involvement of both Dhaliwal and Prabhjot in the extortion racket.

On the basis of Palwinder Singh’s complaint and the inquiry report, the ADGP wrote to the Patiala SSP to register an FIR against the corrupt officials.

Jails minister for strict action against both officials

On Thursday, the ADGP (prisons) had ordered an FIR against both Dhaliwal and Prabhjot Singh. A probe ordered by then ADGP (prisons) Verinder Kumar found both officials were extorting money from inmates.

Jails minister Harjot Singh Bains said the matter is in his notice and he has asked for stern action against the two officials.

Earlier, two such extortion rackets being run by former Patiala jail superintendent Rajan Kapoor were busted. While one FIR was registered in 2019, another was registered in April 2022 after a judicial inquiry.

Verinder Kumar, who had earlier got FIRs registered against jail superintendents of Patiala and Kapurthala, had marked the inquiry to) Surinder Singh on specific information of an extortion racket being run by officials at the Nabha jail.

Soon after the inquiry was initiated, Prabhjot Singh fled and didn’t show up before the DIG.