Want to meet your dear ones in central jail? Just bribe the staff

BENGALURU: With an eight-month old daughter on her hip and a tiffin box carrying home food in hand, 25-year-old Seetha begs for money from visitors at the Parappana Agrahara Central Prison. She needs about Rs 500 to bribe the jail official to visit her imprisoned husband.

Seetha says, "I was sent back from the registration office as I could not make the expected payment. I was not aware that I have to pay officials to meet my husband." The Peenya resident says her husband was arrested a week ago on charges of beating their neighbour over a petty fight. "I last met him when he was produced before the court," she sighs.

But Seetha is not alone in such agony. Friends and family members of inmates at central prison who come to visit them are looted by officials and made to wait for hours.

Shivakumar K from Kolar who came to meet his imprisoned uncle along with his family members said: "On every visit, we need to pay the prison staff. My uncle says that they take money from him to let him meet us."

Ironically, a board hung on the premises clearly says that no bribe be given to jail staff for arranging such meetups. The registration office shutter is kept half-open for officials to take the bribe discreetly. Despite three organised counters, visitors are made to stand for hours in queues.

The staff offer three packages: Rs 300 for a regular meeting; Rs 100 to send home food to an inmate; Rs 1,200 for a direct meeting (without a grilled window in between).

One needs to pay Rs 200 to jump a long queue. A convicted prisoner, standing in jail uniform outside the registration office, will escort the visitor directly to the counter and get an entry slip in no time. Typically, he approaches foreign visitors such as African nationals and middle-class families.

A reality check done by ET revealed that a visitor has to pay Rs 50 for registration and Rs 20 for each additional visitor. He needs to pay Rs 100 to the official to enter prison premises. For bringing food, books or clothes, he has to pay a minimum of Rs 100. In summary, a visitor has to shell out Rs 250 to Rs 300 to meet an inmate.

When this was brought to the notice of the Parappana Agrahara central prison superintendent of police Krishna Kumar, he refused to acknowledge that such practices happen. When informed about the reality check, he promised to inquire and initiate action.

Assistant superintendent of police ( prisons) K Suresh said, " CCTV cameras will be installed and a strict order to refrain from taking bribe will be issued to the staff."