The Department of Prison Management has issued a directive to local authorities in Siraha to investigate and take action over the ongoing scandal about unlawful activities at the Siraha jail. The order was given on Friday, following reports in various media outlets, including Kantipur daily, which exposed the illicit activities, including the trade of alcohol, within the prison.

According to Narayan Prasad Bhattarai, director general of the department of prison management, the district administration and the prison office have been instructed to conduct a thorough inquiry into the matter and ensure that those involved face legal consequences. The district administration has been tasked with inspecting the prison and submitting a report on the situation, while the prison office has been asked to provide a detailed account of the incident.

Following the media reports, Bhattarai said that the department has already taken action. “We have moved swiftly since the news came out,” he said. “Those involved will be held accountable.”

The scandal centres around senior prison officials, including the chief warden, Vijay Mahato, and deputy warden, Indrajit Yadav, who were caught consuming alcohol and using mobile phones inside the prison. However, the revelations did not end there. It was also discovered that a range of illegal activities were taking place within the prison walls, including the sale and purchase of drugs and other contraband at prices up to five times their market value.

Further investigations revealed that prisoners were able to pay for their release, and were even extorted for money under the guise of phone calls. There were also reports of inmates running illegal shops within the prison, where they would extort money from fellow prisoners. The prison guards and administrative staff were allegedly involved in these illegal operations, with some reports indicating that over two million rupees was being raised monthly through such activities.