Overview
- Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Friday suspended superintendent M Kujur and chief controller Dipta Gharai after police recovered 23 mobile phones and over 30 SIM cards from Kolkata’s Presidency Correctional Home.
- Adhikari ordered the Criminal Investigation Department to investigate how the devices entered the prison, whose names were used to register the SIMs, and which outside contacts were linked to the seized phones.
- The search was a joint operation by Kolkata Police and correctional authorities, with The Statesman reporting that multiple police teams combed the facility following complaints about inmate-run networks.
- The chief minister alleged a deep nexus involving some custodial staff and political actors, cited undertrial Sheikh Shahjahan by name, and warned that people who called the seized numbers will also face scrutiny.
- Officials said similar complaints have come from other West Bengal jails, including Dum Dum Central Jail and Berhampore, raising the prospect that the inquiry will extend beyond Presidency Jail.