Mobile phones, SIM cards seized during checks at Parappana Agrahara Central Jail

View of Parappana Agrahara Central Jail. | Photo credit: File Photo

Jail officials at the Parappana Agrahara Central Jail recently recovered four mobile phones, two SIM cards and a memory card during separate searches conducted over two days, prompting legal action under the Karnataka Prisons (Amendment) Act.

According to the complaint filed by jail superintendent BR Kotesh, the first recovery took place on the night of June 11 between 9.15 pm and 9.20 pm. During surveillance near Tower-1 Division Barracks No. 4, jail staff reportedly spotted a suspected inmate, Keshavaraju. When officers approached him, he allegedly tried to run. A search of the area led to the discovery of a cell phone without a SIM card and an 8GB memory card.

In the second operation conducted on June 12 between 11:30 am and 11:55 am, jail officials saw the suspected inmate Vijaykumar behaving near the barracks. A search by members of a special inspection team resulted in the seizure of two mobile phones in the toilets where the devices were allegedly hidden.

Later that day, between 2:15 PM and 2:25 PM, officials conducting routine rounds in Security Section-2 discovered another mobile phone lying in the open near Room No. 5.

In total, the authorities seized four mobile phones, two SIM cards and one memory card. As mobile phones and related communication devices are prohibited on the prison premises, officials suspect that the items were smuggled into the prison with the assistance of unknown persons.

The jail authorities have applied to register a case under Section 42 (Amendment) of the Karnataka Prisons Act, 2022 along with other relevant provisions. Investigators will also look into the role of inmates and any outsiders who may have facilitated the entry and use of prohibited items in the prison.

Published – 14 Jun 2026 21:02 IST