A major security hazard has emerged at Kolkata’s Presidency Central Correctional Home after police recovered several communication devices and cash from the cell of Aftab Ansari, the convicted mastermind behind the 2002 American Centre attack in Kolkata. The recovery has raised serious questions about prison security and how a high-profile life convict allegedly got access to mobile communication equipment inside the correctional facility.
According to Kolkata police, officers from the Detective Department conducted a surprise raid at Ansari's cell on Friday night after receiving information that mobile communications were being made from the cell several times a day. The search for three mobile phones, two routers, a Wi-Fi device, two card readers, a pen drive and earphones was conducted.
Police also recovered ₹31,000 in cash from Ansari’s possession. The entire amount was reportedly in ₹500 denominations. The discovery of the devices, internet-related equipment and cash has prompted investigators to investigate how the material entered the prison and whether anyone inside the correctional facility helped facilitate access to them.
Ansari is now serving a life sentence at Presidency Central Correctional Home in South Kolkata. He was convicted for the attack at the American Centre in Kolkata in January 2002, one of the most significant terror-related attacks in the city. He was associated with the Asif Reza Commando (ARC), an organisation that had links with Pakistan-based militant groups, police and investigative records revealed.
The latest recovery is therefore of more significance given Ansari’s background and the type of devices found in his cell. Now investigators are trying to figure out the actual purpose of the phones and internet equipment used and the people with whom Ansari was communicating.
A case was registered at Hastings Police Station and an investigation is ongoing. The investigators are looking into why the prohibited items were inside the cell. Not to mention investigators are not ruling out prison officials or staff aiding in the movement of such equipment into the facility.
One of the most important aspects of the investigation will be tracing Ansari’s communication history. Police are investigating whether he had been in touch with people outside India, including possible links in Pakistan. The devices and associated digital evidence could provide investigators with information about the communication channels allegedly being used from inside the prison.
The incident also comes at a time of heightened attention to security at Presidency Central Correctional Home. On August 20, authorities conducted another search at the facility where they recovered a smartphone and SIM card from an undertrial prisoner named Abdul Moinuddin, said a police statement.
Repeated recoveries of communication devices from inmates have raised questions about the effectiveness of efforts to prevent unauthorised communication from inside prison and how effective those measures are to prevent communication from being allowed to happen with prisoners. Mobile phones, internet devices and other electronic equipment can allow inmates to communicate with others outside the prison without the knowledge of prison authorities.
The state administration has taken several steps in recent years to address allegations of a possible nexus between prison officials and criminals. The new developments are being examined as part of more general efforts to shore up prison security and prevent prohibited items from reaching inmates.
The suspension of senior officials at Presidency Central Correctional Home has further complicated the prison administration. In fact, a CID probe has also been launched in relation to the prison system, indicating that the authorities are taking allegations about the prison system seriously.
The investigators’ immediate task will be to confirm the origin of the recovered devices, determine how long they were in Ansari’s possession and to find out who was allegedly contacted through them. The investigation may also provide evidence as to whether the incident was an isolated security issue or part of a larger network within the correctional facility.
The recovery of three mobile phones, internet equipment and ₹31,000 from the cell of a top terror convict, therefore, has raised a fresh alarm in the prison system in Kolkata. And as the police and other investigating agencies gather up the seized material, the findings could have wider implications for prison security and the alleged criminal and prison official nexus in West Bengal.
