Pramesh S Jain
A total of three mobile phones and two pen drives have been recovered from the Parappana Agrahara Central Prison during separate searches,with police now focusing on how the banned devices were smuggled into the high-security facility.
During a CCB raid,one mobile phone and a pen drive were reportedly recovered from the barrack of former MP Prajwal Revanna.
Subsequently, prison officials conducted a search and recovered two more mobile phones and one pen drive from vacant areas behind Security Division-2.
According to the complaint filed by prison in-charge Superintendent B.R. Andani, prison officials carried out an unannounced search of Security Divisions 1, 2 and 3 between 11.30 pm on August 11 and 2 am on August 12.
During the search, officials found a black Redmi Android phone without a SIM card, which was damaged and in a non-functional condition, along with a 32GB steel pen drive bearing the number BM210357713W.
Both were found hidden under a stone in a vacant area below Part-1 behind Security Division-2.
Another purple Redmi Android phone, also without a SIM card and damaged, was recovered from beneath a stone in another vacant area behind Security Division-2.
Following the recovery, an FIR was registered at Parappana Agrahara police station based on the complaint seeking action against those who brought the prohibited devices into the prison, facilitated their entry or used them inside the facility.
DCP,Electronic City Division,M.Narayana,meanwhile, refuted reports that the seized devices contained pornographic or objectionable videos and photographs.
“The seized mobile phones and pen drive have been sealed as per procedure and sent to the FSL for analysis.
Reports that they contained pornographic or objectionable content are not true,”he said.
The investigation is primarily focused on identifying the source of the mobile phones and the network involved in smuggling them into the prison, the DCP said.
Narayana said investigators have also noticed that Redmi phones are being used inside the prison despite the security arrangements and jamming systems.
Police are examining whether certain Redmi devices can bypass the 3G/5G security jammers and are planning to write to the mobile phone manufacturer seeking technical information.
Police have also found indications that SIM cards associated with such phones were allegedly obtained using fake identities,including the names of deceased persons.
Investigators are probing a lead regarding the purchase of the phones from a particular shop to establish the chain through which the devices entered the prison.
The police will await the technical and forensic examination of the seized devices before questioning Prajwal Revanna and others in connection with the phones, after obtaining the necessary permission from the court, Narayana said.
