Ajmer jail in-charge arrested after 2 months for taking female inmates to clean flat

Suspended Ajmer Central Jail in-charge, who had been absconding for two months, was arrested on Wednesday from a residential flat in Rajasthan’s Kota for allegedly taking two female inmates out of jail without permission and making them clean her private flat, police said.

Another accused in the case, jail guard Sonia Chaudhary, remains at large.

Suspended jail in-charge Divya Chaudhary took the two inmates, who were serving life sentences for murder, out of jail in a private vehicle without court permission or making an entry in the jail records on July 12. “She made them clean her private flat in Ajmer’s ARG City,” deputy superintendent of police (north) Shiv Joshi said.

“Both inmates were in custody and were taken out without the required permission or following the prescribed procedures. This constituted an offence. After the incident came to light, they were brought back to jail and a report was sent to senior authorities,” Joshi added.

Divya and Sonia were suspended after the incident. Their headquarters were subsequently shifted to Bikaner and Jodhpur, respectively.

Police said both had remained absent from duty for an extended period and were absconding to evade arrest. A case was registered at Ajmer’s Civil Lines police station on August 5.

Acting on the instructions of superintendent of police Harshvardhan Agarwal, an Ajmer police team traced Chaudhary to Kota with assistance from the cyber cell. Technical evidence led the team to a residential flat, where she was arrested.

Police said efforts were underway to trace and arrest Sonia.