In a major security lapse, authorities at the high-security Sabarmati Central Jail in Ahmedabad recovered two mobile phones, a SIM card, and charging equipment from the barrack of a notorious criminal. The discovery has raised serious questions about prison security protocols.
Special Operation Uncovers Contraband
The recovery was made during a special search operation conducted by the jail's inspection squad on Tuesday, January 6. The search focused on the high-security section of the old jail premises. The squad was inspecting outer cell number 11, where convicted inmate Vishal Goswami was lodged.
Jail staff noticed suspicious movement by Goswami and subsequently found damage to a cement ply sheet on the ceiling of his cell. Because the ceiling area was not easily accessible, officials made the decision to immediately seal the cell. Goswami was shifted to another high-security cell as a precautionary measure.
The Detailed Discovery
The sealed cell was reopened the next morning, on Wednesday, January 7, between 10:05 am and 10:40 am. The search was conducted in the presence of the inspection squad and with the help of a ladder to access the damaged ceiling.
During the thorough search, officials found a plastic container tied with a thin stick hidden in the broken portion of the ceiling. The contents of the container were alarming:
- A dark blue iPhone
- A dark blue keypad phone fitted with a SIM card
- A 2GB memory card
- A phone battery
- An iPhone charging cable
- An assembled charger
Additionally, a broken SIM card was found concealed within the wooden frame inside the cell itself. Jail officials promptly recorded the IMEI numbers of both phones and seized all items for further investigation.
Formal Complaint and Legal Action
Following the discovery, jail authorities filed a formal complaint with the Ranip police late on Wednesday night. The complaint was lodged by Mohisinkhan Pathan, the in-charge search jailer at Sabarmati Central Jail.
Based on the complaint, the police have registered an offence under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Prisons Act. This incident highlights a severe breach in the security of one of Gujarat's most secure prisons.
Vishal Goswami is a criminal facing multiple serious cases. In a significant verdict in 2023, he was sentenced to 21 years in jail in a case related to attempted murder and extortion. The recovery of communication devices from his possession inside a high-security barrack suggests possible planning for further criminal activity from within the prison walls.
