KL NEWS NETWORK
SRINAGAR
The controversial jailer Rajni Sehgal was indicted by Crime Branch (CB), Jammu Friday in misappropriation case of 107 ancient coins found inside the Kot-Bhalwal Jail in September 2012 when she was Superintendent of the jail.
“The case was registered after a communication was received from Home Department, J&K with the recommendations of the Director General of Prisons J&K regarding recovery of unusual metallic objects (107 ancient coins) found inside the Kot-Bhalwal Jail premises and its subsequent alleged misappropriation by the jail staff with the directions to conduct a thorough probe into the matter,” CB Jammu said in a statement.
During the course of preliminary verification conducted at CB, Jammu, it has been found that jail inmates (convicts) during the digging of earth for vegetation purposes in the first half of the day during the month of September, 2012 found around 450/500 metallic objects packed in an earthen pot covered with a lid and which on rubbing glittered like gold, the CB said. “The broken pieces of this earthen pot together with the recovered metallic objects were thereafter handed over to Chakkar Havaldar Ravi Kumar & Mohan Lal who wrapped all these items in a piece of newspaper and presented before the Superintendent of Jail Rajni Sehgal and all the inmates were told to return to their barracks.”
Later Sehgal approached the inmates and threatened them that if they will reveal the truth regarding the actual date and quantity of the recovered objects, a red entry shall be made in their records which shall hamper their release.
The inmates according to the CB investigation were also tutored to depose that the objects were recovered in the month of November, 2012 near Diwali and not in September, 2012 and were about 100 in number and not 450/500.
The Jail Superintendent Rajni Sehgal according to the CB investigation deliberately and intentionally remained mum and did not informed her senior Officers or the District Magistrate concerned.
Crime Branch statement said that the omissions and commissions on the part of officers/officials named above prima facie, constitute offences punishable u/s 420, 409, 465, 466, 467, 468, 471, 120-B RPC read with section 5/24 Treasures Trove Act, 1954. Accordingly a case was registered in Crime Branch, Jammu and further investigation has been taken up.
