The deputy inspector general (Security) Krishna Kumar VK inspected the Haridwar district jail about midnight on Saturday. The Haridwar district magistrate Vinay Shankar Pandey also visited the jail a few hours before the DIG. Though officials state that the visits were routine, sources state that the focus of the visits was to check whether notorious criminals in the jail are allegedly being provided VIP treatment. Apart from the barracks of gangster Sunil Rathi and Yashpal Tomar, other barracks were also checked properly during the visit of the officials.
In the 56 bigha land dispute case of Jwalapur, Baghpat's land mafia element Yashpal Tomar had been arrested by Uttarakhand special task force from Noida earlier this year. Apart from him, the infamous Sunil Rathi had been shifted from Tihar Jail in Delhi to the district jail in Haridwar. There has been talk for some days about the two inmates Tomar and Rathi enjoying special treatment while in jail. It was being alleged that the two were being provided all facilities in the jail. Amidst such allegations, the Haridwar district magistrate reached the district jail at about 8 PM on Saturday. The DM checked the arrangements in the barracks. A few hours later at about 12 AM, DIG Krishna Kumar VK
reached Haridwar from Dehradun and visited the district jail where he checked the barracks. He took stock of the barracks where Rathi and Tomar are jailed. After seeking relevant information from the senior superintendent of the jail, the DIG also issued necessary instructions. According to sources, no objectional material was found in the jail during the visit of the senior officials. The DIG described his visit as part of routine procedure and added that the things that have come to the fore during the surprise inspection are being investigated. If any truth is found in them, then action will be taken as per the rules.
It is pertinent to mention here that in the past there have been instances of notorious inmates of the jail demanding extortion from businessmen. There have also been instances wherein mobile phones were also recovered from the district jail in Roshnabad.
