India

Ludhiana Central Jail Official Suspended Amidst Corruption Allegations

By Payal Dhawan

Balvir Singh, an Additional Jail Superintendent at Ludhiana Central Jail, has been suspended following allegations of accepting cash bribes. The bribes, reportedly ranging from ₹2 lakh to ₹4 lakh, were allegedly taken from individuals to assign 11 GST-fraud undertrials to superior barracks. This disciplinary action stems from an investigation conducted by AIG headquarters Rajesh Kumar, initiated after an official complaint from the prison department. Balvir Singh faces charges under Sections 7 and 8 of the Prevention of Corruption Act and Section 52-A of the Prisons Act. The suspension order cites the seriousness of the allegations and anticipated disciplinary proceedings. Superintendent Kulwant Singh Sidhu confirmed the suspension, stating it followed an inquiry. A Ludhiana police officer indicated that the complaint from the prison department accuses the official of accepting varying cash amounts from the 11 individuals. This incident is part of a pattern of administrative issues at the facility. On July 1, 2025, a deputy jail superintendent was suspended for chronic absenteeism. Another deputy superintendent faced suspension for insubordination, unauthorized leave approvals, and improper issuance of official identification. A warder was suspended for attempting to smuggle 60g of cannabis into the prison. On June 26, 2021, an assistant jail superintendent, a head warder, and a warder were suspended, and an officer in charge of cells was transferred, after an inquiry into video footage showing inmates smoking a hookah inside the jail. In January 2024, 10 to 15 inmates at Ludhiana Central Jail hosted a birthday party in their barracks, with a video of the event going viral. The undertrial, Arun Kumar 'Mani Rana,' was accused in a 2019 robbery case. Two deputy superintendents were arrested after investigations revealed they had accepted bribes to facilitate the smuggling of mobile phones and contraband into the jail.