Daijiworld Media Network – Jaipur

Jaipur, May 26: What was meant to be a routine hospital visit turned into an unauthorized city escape for four inmates of Jaipur Central Jail, leading to a dramatic crackdown and arrests.

According to the police, a total of 13 people including five constables, four inmates and four relatives were arrested on Sunday after revelations that the inmates had paid bribes for a leisurely day out in the city.

Inmates Rafiq Bakri, Bhanwar Lal, Ankit Bansal, and Karan Gupta had official approval for medical checkups at SMS Hospital. However, instead of reporting there, they allegedly paid a middleman Rs 25,000 to orchestrate a brief escape. Each of the escorting constables was promised Rs 5,000, said a senior officer involved in the probe.

Shockingly, only one of the four actually reached the hospital. The rest wandered the city, missing the 5.30 pm deadline to return to prison.

Sources said Rafiq and Bhanwar checked into a hotel in Jalupura where Rafiq met his wife and Bhanwar reunited with an ex-girlfriend. Rafiq’s wife was later caught with narcotics and booked under the NDPS Act, said DCP Tejaswani Gautam.

Meanwhile, Ankit and Karan were tracked to a hotel near the airport, enjoying poha for breakfast. Ankit’s girlfriend had booked the room. Police later detained Karan’s relative at the hotel with Rs 45,000 in cash and several inmate ID cards.

Jail insiders revealed that the outing was masterminded by a convicted extortionist still running operations from within the prison. Investigators have intercepted over 200 phone calls since April, indicating a broader racket involving bribes, illegal phone use, and threats including to Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma.

A case has been filed at Sawai Man Singh Police Station, and a full-scale investigation is now underway inside Jaipur Central Jail.