In a major crackdown on illegal activities within prison walls, the Bengaluru police have secured body warrants to interrogate inmates allegedly running a sophisticated mobile phone racket from inside the high-security Parappana Agrahara Central Prison. This decisive move follows the seizure of a staggering 127 mobile phones in just over two months, exposing glaring security lapses.
From Seizures to Scrutiny: The Escalating Probe
The investigation intensified after police received specific intelligence indicating that several hardened criminals, including a notorious figure named Bonda Manja, were actively using mobile phones from within their cells. Manja, currently in judicial custody for a 2023-24 attempt-to-murder case from Konnangunta police station, has over 20 cases, including murder, registered against him across the city.
This led to the registration of 25 separate FIRs between November 26, 2025, and January 3, 2026, all linked to contraband phones found inside the prison. Dissatisfied with the progress of routine prison probes, authorities pushed for body warrants—a legal instrument allowing investigators to formally question inmates in custody. These warrants were executed between January 8 and 10, aiming to unravel the internal and external networks facilitating the racket.
A Recent Smuggling Attempt and Wider Security Overhaul
The probe gained fresh urgency from an incident on the preceding Friday. Around 12:10 pm, personnel from the Karnataka State Industrial Security Force (KSISF) apprehended a 38-year-old woman, Lakshmi Narasimha, at the General Visitors’ Section. During a routine frisk, they discovered a mobile phone hidden in her inner garments. She had obtained a visitor pass to meet an under-trial prisoner named Bharath. The seized device, a blue keypad phone from Ace Company with an Airtel SIM card, led to a case against both the woman and the inmate.
This brazen attempt highlighted the ongoing challenges, prompting prison authorities to announce a comprehensive security upgrade. Alok Kumar, the Director General of Police (Prison and Correctional Services), told The Indian Express that checks at all prison gates have been intensified. "Whether it is a family member or even a police official, everyone is being thoroughly frisked," Kumar stated.
Authorities are also curtailing the practice of supplying home-cooked food, permitted only with court approval, after discoveries that food items were used to conceal phones. In a tech-forward step, the deployment of drones to monitor the outer periphery of central prisons is being considered to prevent objects from being thrown over the walls. "Continuous special drives and surprise checks are being conducted to plug loopholes," Kumar added.
Forensic Analysis and Community Impact
The police are now focusing on a forensic deep dive into the 127 seized mobile devices. By examining call data records and other digital footprints, investigators aim to identify the external facilitators, financial backers, and associates who allegedly enable this 'mobile mafia' operation from outside the jail.
Ironically, the crackdown occurs against a backdrop of complaints from residents living around the prison. They report that the signal jammers installed inside the jail to block inmate phone use are severely disrupting mobile connectivity in the surrounding neighbourhoods, causing daily hardships for the public. This situation underscores the complex trade-offs involved in maintaining prison security while minimizing collateral impact on the community.
The case has thrown a harsh spotlight on the persistent problem of contraband phones in Indian prisons, even those like Parappana Agrahara which boast multi-layered security featuring signal jammers, round-the-clock CCTV surveillance, and KSISF deployment.
