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Thiruvananthapuram: The state home department following pressure from the opposition and various media reports in connection with allegations of accepting bribes for facilitating parole and illegal activities for prisoners has suspended Prisons Deputy Inspector General (DIG) MK Vinod Kumar.
The Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau has booked the officer in the issue, as part of which he will be out of service with immediate effect till the probe is completed.
Based on the primary investigation of the Special Cell Unit, Vinod was found to have misused his powers by accepting bribes to help prisoners get parole and facilitate their illegal activities within prison, which even includes the smuggling of drugs and alcohol.
A report stating the issue was submitted by the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau to the state government.
The disciplinary action was taken into consideration over the fact that the accused, a high-level officer, could tamper with the documents or influence the imprisoned witnesses.
Earlier, it was reported that the officer had received over Rs 1.5 crores in two bank accounts in the last year alone.
The officer, who is set to retire next year, has been accused of receiving kickbacks from inmates to help them get parole and facilitating their illegal acts within the prison, including smuggling of drugs and alcohol.
In the last one year, the two accounts collectively received about Rs1.5 crore. The vigilance conducted a preliminary inquiry against the officer on the basis of intelligence reports, which indicated widespread irregularities on the part of the officer.
Sources said he had received varying amounts of cash from inmates for extending their parole periods as well as facilitating smuggling of contraband to the prisons.
