Liquor, snacks, and phones: Bengaluru Central Jail inmates party and dance, live life king size

The inmates of Bengaluru Central Jail are living a king-size life and have free access to liquor, snacks, phones, and entertainment, as there appears to be no security apparatus in place at the central jail in the capital of Congress-ruled Karnataka state. Videos and visuals of the amenities available to the inmates, including an ISIS recruiter, murder convict, and others accused of serious crimes, in incarceration can make many free souls envious. More videos are tumbling out and being shared on social media, and finally it seems that the jail authorities will face some action. Just a few hours after the state government pulled up officials for allowing VVIP treatment in Bengaluru’s Parappana Agrahara Central Jail, another video showing inmates dancing and partying with liquor and snacks has emerged.

The visuals show liquor in disposable glasses, cut fruits, and fried peanuts for a party inside the jail. In another video, four small liquor bottles are seen, while some inmates dance as others make some sounds using utensils.

The revelations raise big questions over the security arrangements inside the prison that houses notorious criminals. An ISIS recruiter and a murder convict were seen using phones and watching television in videos that appeared on Saturday.

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Inmates include ISIS recruiter, rape-murder convict

ISIS recruiter Zuhaib Hameed Shakeel Manna was seen scrolling on a phone and enjoying tea with the sound of a radio or television heard in the background. According to the National Investigation Agency (NIA), Zuhaib Hameed Shakeel Manna raised funds, radicalised Muslim youth, and illegally sent them to Syria to join ISIS.

Another video showed Umesh Reddy, named in 18 rape and murder cases, using two Android phones and a keypad mobile. A television was also seen in his barrack. In 2022, the death sentence of Reddy was commuted to 30 years of imprisonment by the Supreme Court as he sought clemency, claiming to be mentally ill. He was later declared medically sound.

Pictures of another inmate, Telugu actor Tarun Raju, a co-accused in the sensational gold smuggling case involving actor Ranya Rao, showed him using a phone and cooking inside the jail. Raju was arrested while trying to flee to Geneva and was later identified as the mastermind of a smuggling network that allegedly supplied gold in Dubai to the daughter of an IPS officer.

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Prisons department initiates inquiry

After an uproar, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah assured necessary action, and the Prisons Department also initiated an inquiry into the videos.

On Sunday morning, Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara warned of strict action against jail officials and said he will not tolerate such lapses.

“Such things cannot be tolerated. If this continues, it cannot be called a jail anymore. No one, whether a terrorist or anyone else, should have access to a phone.

Prison authorities said that they have launched an internal inquiry to verify the authenticity of the footage and identify those responsible.

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This is not the first time the Parappana Agrahara Central Jail, which houses several high-risk inmates, has faced scrutiny. In October, a video showing a notorious murder accused, Srinivas, also known as Gubbachi Seena, celebrating his birthday in jail went viral.

Srinivas was seen cutting a cake and wearing an apple garland, surrounded by fellow inmates. Videos and photos of the celebration recorded on mobile phones were later shared on social media.

Last year, Kannada actor Darshan Thoogudeepa, lodged in prison in connection with the Renukaswamy murder case, was seen holding a cigarette and a coffee mug while chatting with fellow inmates.