The rot within Bengaluru’s Parappana Agrahara Central Jail continues to deepen, with one scandal surfacing after another. What was once regarded as a high-security prison has now turned into a haven of luxury for hardened criminals and even convicted terrorists. The revelations of inmates receiving royal treatment, including access to mobile phones, feasts, and entertainment, have triggered outrage across the state. Following these shocking developments, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has officially stepped in to probe how terrorists managed to access mobile phones inside the prison.
The Karnataka Home Department has been put on high alert after videos of prisoners celebrating and dancing inside the high-security facility surfaced online. Two senior jail officials have already been arrested for dereliction of duty, and the Parappana Agrahara police have registered a total of four cases, including three Non-Cognizable Reports (NCRs) and one First Information Report (FIR), linked to the scandal.
The most alarming revelation came when it was found that a few imprisoned terrorists had access to mobile phones within the jail premises. Following this, a team of NIA officers arrived in Bengaluru and began gathering evidence. According to sources, NIA officers visited the Central Crime Branch (CCB) office to collect technical details, including when the controversial videos were shot and how the mobile phones reached the inmates.
It is suspected that the phones were being used for communication with external contacts, raising serious concerns about a potential security breach at one of India’s most heavily guarded prisons. While the case has not yet been officially transferred to the CCB, senior officials confirmed that the NIA is now involved in preliminary verification.
Parappana Agrahara police have confirmed that four cases have been registered so far in connection with the issue of “royal hospitality” extended to certain prisoners. Of these, three are NCRs and one is a full-fledged FIR. The FIR was lodged based on a complaint filed by the now-suspended jail superintendent, Imam Saab Mageri, against a convict named Patrick Team, who was caught on video dancing and beating drums during a party inside the jail.
The remaining NCRs are expected to be upgraded to FIRs in the coming days as investigations progress. Meanwhile, several officers are under scrutiny for allegedly granting special privileges including access to electronic devices, private meals, and unauthorised visitors to select inmates.
Home Minister Dr G. Parameshwar convened a high-level emergency meeting at the prison headquarters on Sunday to review the developments. During the two-hour closed-door session, Parameshwar is said to have expressed severe displeasure over the repeated lapses in jail management and the growing perception of corruption and favouritism inside the prison system.
Following the meeting, the minister ordered the suspension of Jail Superintendent Imam Saab Mageri and Deputy Superintendent Ashok Bhajantri. The chief superintendent, Suresh, has also been transferred pending further inquiry.
Parappana Agrahara Jail houses some of the most notorious rowdy-sheeters, drug traffickers, and terror convicts. But recent incidents — from videos showing inmates partying to reports of food deliveries and mobile phone usage have turned the jail’s image into that of a “luxury resort for criminals.”
Union Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy alleged that “terrorists are not only inside the prison but also within the Vidhan Soudha,” accusing the state government of indirectly supporting anti-national elements.
