Murder accused hosts social media live from UP Jail: 3 jail warders suspended

Shahjahanpur: The jail administration has suspended three jail warders of the Bareilly Central Jail in Uttar Pradesh following an investigation into the matter of an inmate accused of murder possessing a mobile phone on which he hosted a live video on a social media platform.

The probe was ordered after a purported video of a murder accused Asif lodged in Bareilly Central Jail hosting a live video surfaced on a social media platform on Thursday.

In the two minute-long video, Asif is heard saying, ”I am in heaven and enjoying it.” On seeing the video on social media, the deceased’s brother met District Magistrate Umesh Pratap Singh on Thursday and gave him a written complaint. The authorities have also shunted a deputy jailor and sought written explanation from the two jailors regarding the incident.

”Three jail warders Ravi Shankar Dwivedi, Hans Jeev Sharma and Gopal Pandey have been suspended for dereliction of duty on Friday. The deputy jailor Kishan Singh Baldia has been attached to the Jail Headquarters Lucknow,” Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Prisons Kuntal Kumar on Saturday said.

”A written explanation has also been sought from jailors Vijay Kumar Rai and Neeraj Kumar regarding the incident,” he added.

The officer said that no objectionable item was recovered in barrack searches held as part of the investigation.

Asif is accused of shooting a public works department (PWD) contractor Rakesh Yadav (34) to death in broad daylight on December 2, 2019, in Sadar Bazar Police Station area of Shahjahanpur.

Another accused Rahul Chaudhury was also accused to have killed Yadav and the duo are currently lodged in Bareilly Central Jail.