Pune, 26 February 2026: Despite a ban on mobile phone usage inside prisons, authorities at Yerawada Central Jail in Pune have uncovered illegal possession of mobile devices by inmates. During a special inspection drive, officials seized five mobile phones, two power banks and charging wires from different barracks.
Assistant Jail Superintendent Sunil Gaikwad lodged a complaint at Yerawada Police Station in this connection. Based on his complaint, a case has been registered against inmate Naushad Badruddin Sheikh and other prisoners.
According to jail officials, the incident came to light on Saturday evening (February 21) when Gaikwad noticed suspicious movement by an inmate near a washroom close to the prison wall during routine patrol.
When questioned, the inmate claimed that a mobile phone had fallen on the ground and gave evasive answers before returning to his barrack. The matter was immediately reported to senior officials, who ordered a special search operation.
On Sunday, authorities conducted a detailed inspection inside the prison. During the search of Barrack No. 1, officials recovered one mobile phone, a battery, a SIM card and a charging wire from Naushad Sheikh. In Barrack No. 6, four additional mobile phones, batteries and two power banks were seized.
Following the recovery, a formal offence has been registered against the concerned inmates. The investigation is currently being carried out by Police Sub-Inspector Kundan Satre.
