Kolkata jail raid: 3 phones, Wi-Fi equipment, Rs 31,000 seized from Aftab Ansari’s cell

Three mobile phones, Wi-Fi equipment and Rs 31,000 in cash were seized from the cell of Aftab Ahmed Ansari, the mastermind of the 2002 American Center attack in Kolkata serving jail term, officials said on Saturday.

The seizure at the Presidency Correctional Home here prompted the jail authorities to lodge a complaint with the Hastings Police Station, which has registered a case and begun an investigation, they said.

Ansari, convicted in the American Center attack case and serving a life term, is lodged in cell number 14 at the correctional home.

Weapons attack mastermind found with phones

Five people, including police constables, died and 20 others were injured when two motorbike-borne gunmen opened fire on the American Center security staff on January 22, 2002.

An official of the correctional home told PTI that a search was conducted following intelligence inputs that Ansari was allegedly using a mobile phone inside the prison and had access to the internet.

“Three mobile phones were found in his clothes and bedding, while two routers, a Wi-Fi device, a pen drive and an earphone were also seized,” he said.

Cash amounting to Rs 31,000 in the demonination of Rs 500 was found in his cell, too, the official said.

Probe into possible contacts underway

Investigators are also trying to ascertain whether phone calls were made to Ansari’s contacts outside the country, he said.

The seizure has also raised fresh questions about how mobile phones and internet-enabled devices reached the prison despite restrictions on their use.

Presidency jail faced earlier phone controversy

The development comes months after the West Bengal government suspended the superintendent and the chief controller of Presidency Correctional Home, following allegations that inmates were using mobile phones inside the facility.

Addressing a press conference at state secretariat ‘Nabanna’ on May 15, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari had said that mobile phones, including smartphones, were being extensively used inside Presidency Correctional Home and that a section of jail officials was involved in this.

Adhikari had said 23 mobile phones were seized from the jail premises during joint operations involving prison authorities and the Kolkata Police.

CID probe ordered into phones entering jail

“The entire criminal network across the state is being operated from prisons. This is not something that has started today. It has continued for years. There is deep-rooted corruption. It will take time to dismantle it,” the CM said.

He had also ordered a CID investigation to trace how SIM cards and mobile phones entered jail premises.