9 mobiles, 111 tobacco pouches, data cables, narcotics recovered from Jail during search operations
Ferozepur, June 27: The relentless influx of contraband into the high-security Central Jail, Ferozepur, continues unabated, with prison authorities recovering, nine mobile phones, 111 pouches of tobacco, data cables and other prohibited items were recovered during a series of searches conducted inside the Ferozepur Central Jail. A case has been registered against unidentified persons under relevant sections of the Punjab Prisons and Correctional Services Act, 2026.
Besides banned items, 201 mobiles including recent 9 mobiles have been recovered during 2026 while an unprecedented record high of 649 mobile phones recovered in 2025.
According to jail authorities, regular checking and surveillance operations were carried out in the jail premises between June 8 and June 25. During these searches, banned items thrown or smuggled into the jail premises from outside were recovered in abandoned condition. Jail authorities stated that a total of nine mobile phones (keypad and touchscreen), two data cables, 111 tobacco pouches and 18 grams of suspected narcotic substance were seized during the searches.
Sub-Inspector Sukhdev Singh, who is investigating the case, said that based on the complaint received from jail officials, police have registered a case against unknown persons under Sections 48(2) and 48(3) of the Punjab Prisons and Correctional Services Act, 2026, and further investigation is underway.
Sources reveal that while FIRs are promptly registered under the Prisons Act, comprehensive follow-up investigations into the source and usage of these phones are rarely conducted, except in high-profile cases.
A severe shortage of police personnel makes extracting prisoners from jail on police remand a high-risk logistical challenge, effectively stalling deeper probes into how these gadgets bypass stringent manual and electronic checks.