Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Saturday said abolishing VIP culture in jails the Punjab government has decided to abandon the VIP cells and transform them into administrative blocks.
In a video message, the CM said those lodged in jails have been punished by courts for violating law and they can’t enjoy facilities while sitting in jail.
Mann said these jails will now be truly reform (Sudhar) houses (Ghar) where these criminals will pay for their sin in right earnest.
He said in a major crackdown against nexus of gangsters and criminals operating from jails, the Punjab government has so far confiscated 710 mobile phones from jails in a specially launched drive.
Mann said during this special drive launched from 16 March to 10 May, 710 mobiles have been recovered from jail inmates.
He said from 16 March to 31 March, 166 mobiles were recovered from jail inmates and 354 mobiles were confiscated from 1 April to 30 April.
The CM said 190 mobiles have been recovered between 1 May and 10 May. Mann said these mobiles were used by the gangsters or smugglers to run their rackets from the jails.
Mann said investigations are on to nab the persons on whose name these numbers were registered. He said that very soon strict action will be taken against them.
He said responsibility of the officers and staff of jails who were involved in sneaking these mobiles in the jail will also be fixed.