The Uttar Pradesh government has suspended six Bareilly prison officials, including the jailer, for allegedly facilitating illegal meetings between prisoner Khalid Azeem a.k.a. Ashraf and his henchmen and brother-in-law.
Ashraf, a former MLA, is the younger brother of gangster-politician Atiq Ahmed, who is, at present, lodged in Gujarat’s Sabarmati jail.
Those suspended are jailer Rajeev Kumar Mishra, deputy jailer Durgesh Pratap Singh, head warden Brijveer Singh, and wardens Manoj Gaur, Danish Mehndi and Dalpat Singh.
The state government had, earlier, ordered a probe into Ashraf’s illegal meetings.
In his report submitted to the government, R.N. Pandey, DIG-Prisons, has named the four officials.
Canteen supplier Daya Ram and jail guard Shiv Hari Awasthi were previously arrested by the police for helping Ashraf hold secret meetings inside the prison.
They are also facing charges of supplying Ashraf food and articles from outside the prison.
Ashraf is in Bareilly jail in connection with the murder of BSP MLA Raju Pal on January 25, 2005 in Prayagraj.
According to the report submitted by Pandey, Ashraf’s brother-in-law Saddam met him in jail with assistance from the jailer, deputy jailer and others officials.
The meetings have no mention in the jail’s official records.
Daya Ram provided money and arranged food and other articles from outside the prison for Ashraf.
The Bareilly jail authorities have already lodged an FIR against Ashraf, Saddam, his local aide Lalla Gaddi, Shiv Hari Awasthi and Daya Ram.
Earlier, a similar nexus between Chitrakoot jail authorities, the canteen supplier and criminals was exposed after the arrest of jailed MLA Abbas Ansari’s wife Nikhat Bano and her driver Niyaz Ansari from inside the jail campus on February 12.