Allegations of major security lapses and preferential treatment at Bengaluru's Parappana Agrahara Central jail have surfaced after videos showed notorious inmates, including a serial rapist and killer, Umesh Reddy, using mobile phones and watching television.
A clip shows Reddy, who was convicted of raping 20 women and murdering 18 of them between 1996 to 2022, using two Android phones and one keypad mobile inside the jail - which the jail staff allegedly is aware of. A TV set can be seen in his barracks.
Reddy's death sentence was commuted by the Supreme Court to 30 years of imprisonment without remission in 2022. He was initially sentenced to death but later sought clemency, claiming to be mentally ill. Medical examinations, however, had confirmed he was mentally sound.
Pictures of Tarun Raju, arrested in connection with the Ranya Rao gold smuggling case, also surfaced, in which he can be seen using a phone and cooking inside the jail.
Tarun was arrested while trying to flee to Geneva. He was identified as the mastermind of a gold smuggling network that allegedly supplied gold in Dubai to Ranya Rao - the daughter of a senior IPS officer.
Authorities are expected to probe the alleged misuse of mobile phones and facilities inside the prison.
Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah assured to investigate the incidents and initiate necessary action.
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