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| SKELETONS CONTINUE TO TUMBLE OUT OF KOT BHALWAL JAIL | | NOW JAIL OFFICIALS COME UNDER SCANNER FOR DUPING STATE EXCHEQUER | |
Jammu, Nov 13
After the recovery of mobile handset and SIM cards from the custody of Hizbul Mujahideen militants and few hardened criminals lodged inside Kot Bhalwal central Jail in Jammu the jail authorities have stumbled upon a nexus of jail officials and private suppliers siphoning off huge sums of money in the name of supplying items of daily use including medicines for over 350 jail inmates.
Official sources in Central Jail said that the jail authorities have come under scanner for purchasing medicines worth lakhs of rupees on exorbitant rates from a single medical store owned by one of the close relatives of senior jail functionary, for past several years.Sources said, the jail authorities had been ordering purchase of medicines under pressure from militants.
Besides this, name of a prominent local trader has also surfaced in the dubious dealings for supplying items of daily use under fake names and establishing his own monopoly by allegedly greasing the palms of jail authorities without any check.
Sources said, in some cases even sub standard medicines were supplied inside the jail by the medical store owner to maximize percentage profit.
The irregularities were detected recently by officiating Jail Superintendent Sheikh Rashid during routine scrutiny of records related to general purchases done during the current financial year.
To avoid further loss to the exchequer the jail superintendent has already stopped all pending payments to suppliers.
According to rough estimates payment of bills amounting over Rs 25 lakh have been stopped including huge medical bill.
As per the rule, medicine worth Rs 2 per head is prescribed by a doctor for routine ailments and in cases where a jail inmate is suffering from serious illness doctor is authorised to prescribe medicines costing more money.
There is no provision of budgeting in such cases and purchases are made purely on demand basis,sources said.
Role of a doctor appointed inside the jail has also come to light and has already been relieved from his duty. Besides this store keeper inside the jail has been asked to handover the charge with immediate effect till further orders, sources said.
When contacted Jail Superintendent Sheikh Rashid said he is not authorized to speak to media on such issues adding that the matter has been brought in to the notice of higher authorities for detailed investigations. |
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