The High Court of Bombay at Goa has raised serious questions about security inside the Central Jail at Colvale in North Goa, saying it “shocks the conscience” that mobile charging points were installed inside jail cells without the knowledge and consent of prison authorities.
The observation came in a recent order by Justice Shreeram V. Shirsat, who took cognisance of the repeated smuggling of mobile phones and contraband into the jail premises and directed prison officials to put in place a stronger system to prevent such breaches.
The court was hearing a petition against Chandu Patil, who is lodged in the jail for allegedly murdering a child. According to the case details, Patil allegedly called the victim’s family from inside the jail and issued veiled threats.
“Some swift, comprehensive, remedial and stringent measures are required to be taken by the jail authorities to ensure that such incidents do not occur in future,” the judge said.
The court has sought a reply from the jail administration by January 20, 2026. In its order, it pointed out that several cells inside the jail have mobile charging points, a fact that, the court said, “further shocks the conscience”.
“It is not obscure as to why the charging points are installed there,” the order noted.
Justice Shirsat said the court had come across multiple cases in which mobile phones and drugs were found inside jail premises.
Despite such recoveries in the past, the order said, there appeared to be no effective steps taken to stop the flow of prohibited items.
“Merely taking action against one jail inmate who is found possessing the mobile or contraband will not be a definitive solution, but one needs to go to the root of the matter,” the judge said.
The HC said it was proceeding on the assumption that signal jamming systems were not installed in the jail and stressed that the issue needed urgent attention.
The order questioned how mobile phones could enter the jail so easily, especially when prison officials conduct regular inspections.
“Is it that the inspection is superficial and just an eye wash or that a deliberate slack inspection is done at the entry point so that the mobile phones find their way inside the jail premises seamlessly,” the court asked.
Pointing to the frequency of such incidents, the court said accountability had to be fixed. “Some stringent measures are the need of the hour,” it said. In Patil’s case, the HC said issuing a show-cause notice would be inadequate.
It directed authorities to examine call data records, CCTV footage, and cell tower locations for the relevant period. “The soft punishment for such activities emboldens the jail inmates…,” the judge observed.
The court directed that the deputy superintendent or superintendent of the jail must ensure that “robust phone jammers or cellular inspection systems” are installed immediately, with their operation confined strictly to jail premises so that nearby residents are not affected.
It also ordered that additional rules be framed to fix accountability for staff found violating inspection norms at checking counters.
CCTV cameras have been mandated at inmate entry points, with personal searches to be conducted under camera coverage. CCTV surveillance has also been ordered for mulaqat areas, along with daily inspection of jail cells.
The court further ruled that daily CCTV footage be preserved on a pendrive and submitted to the deputy superintendent of police for safe custody.