VIP cells in all prisons to go, says Punjab CM

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 14

The Punjab Government today said that there would be no VIP cells in jails, and all those found guilty of violating the law would be treated equally. Existing VIP cells would be converted into administrative blocks.

No facilities for law violators

Those lodged in jails have been punished by courts for violating law and they can’t enjoy facilities while sitting in jail. — Bhagwant Mann, Punjab Chief Minister

“Those lodged in jails have been punished by courts for violating law and they can’t enjoy facilities while sitting in jail,” CM Bhagwant Mann said. The jails would now be reform houses (sudhar ghar) in the true sense where criminals would pay for their sins, he added.

It may be mentioned that former minister Bikram Singh Majithia is presently lodged in the Patiala jail. PTC News MD Rabindra Narayan has also been in the jail since his arrest in April.

Following reports that special treatment was being given to Majithia, Jails Minister Harjot Bains visited the Patiala jail. After that, Majithia was shifted to a smaller cell.

In a video message, Mann said his government confiscated 710 mobile phones from jails under a special drive between March 16 and May 10. The aim was to break the back of gangsters operating from jails. During the drive, 166 mobile phones were seized in March, 354 in April and 190 in May (10 days).

The CM said investigations were on to nab the persons in whose name these phone numbers were registered. Strict action would be taken against them, he said. Responsibility of the officers and jail staff found involved in it would also be fixed, he added.

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