Jail warder suspended for links with STF constable held in codeine syrup racket | Lucknow News

Lucknow: A warder posted at Lucknow’s Adarsh Karagar (Model jail) was suspended for his alleged proximity to the dismissed STF constable Alok Singh, who is currently jailed for his role in the multi-crore codeine cough syrup diversion racket. The suspension order was issued late Sunday night on the directions of DG prisons PC Meena.The suspended warder, Mahendra Pratap Singh, a resident of Ambedkarnagar, was allegedly in frequent contact with Alok, who is lodged in the adjoining district jail. Officials said Mahendra was seen driving an SUV registered in Alok’s name and was also spotted partying with the racket’s fugitive kingpin, Shubham Jaiswal. Photographs and videos of Mahendra with Shubham surfaced on social media on Saturday evening, prompting action from prison authorities.Model jail’s acting superintendent sent a written recommendation for Mahendra’s suspension. Sources said that financial transactions running into lakhs were detected between Alok and the bank account of Mahendra’s wife.Officials said the warder’s association with Shubham and Alok raises suspicion of possible assistance to the accused syndicate from inside the jail system. The department has initiated a full-fledged inquiry.Sources revealed that Mahendra has a history of proximity to influential figures. During his posting at Unnao district jail, he was considered close to former convicted MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar. Sengar was sentenced to life imprisonment for raping a girl in Dec 2019, while on Mar 13, 2020, Sengar’s brother and three aides were convicted for culpable homicide not amounting to murder and other relevant sections.