This move will help the prisons department to conduct crackdowns on conspiracies to bump off high-profile targets
In a first, the state government has sanctioned Rs 5.20 lakh to the prisons department to be used as a 'secret fund' which will enhance the collection of intelligence within the prisons of Maharashtra. Moreover, the secret fund will be disbursed among the informers for providing valuable information. This move will help the prisons department to conduct crackdowns on conspiracies to bump off high-profile targets.
The prisons department's vigilance branch keeps an eye on prison inmates. With this fresh funding, the vigilance branch will be able to reward the informers inside and outside the prisons for providing reliable information on conspiracies to escape, supari killing and drug and mobile phone smuggling.
With high-profile inmates like Chhagan Bhujbal, Indrani and Peter Mukherjea, Abu Salem, Farooque Takla, Arun Gawli and gangsters Iqkbal Kaskar and DK Rao lodged inside state prisons, information pertaining to the security of the inmates could be collected.
Dr BK Upadhyay, Additional Director General of Police (Prisons), said, "The state government has sanctioned the secret funds which will be used for surveillance and collection of reliable information through human intelligence. The secret fund will help us collect information on conspiracies and various other criminal activities inside and outside the prisons."
However, senior officials from the prisons department are unhappy with the sanctioned amount. As on March 31, 2018, there are 8,624 convicts and 24,087 under-trials in Maharashtra's jails. A senior prison official said, "The amount of Rs 5.20 lakh for keeping a close watch on such a huge number of prisoners is difficult. The government should increase the amount of the secret fund in order to enhance the collection of intelligence from informers."
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