Bhubaneswar: The superintendent of a prison in Odisha’s Cuttack district paid Rs 1.9 lakh to a woman inmate after gold jewellery, deposited during the admission, was found missing, an official said Wednesday.
The woman from the Mahanga area in Cuttack district had deposited the ornaments with the jail authorities when she was lodged in the prison September 23 last year. She was released on bail December 23, but did not get back the ornaments as they were nowhere to be found.
Nearly six weeks later, February 8, she approached the local police station and filed a complaint against the jail’s senior superintendent, Sujit Kumar Raula, alleging unauthorised possession of her valuables.
Later, the superintendent paid the woman Rs 1.9 lakh as compensation for the missing jewellery, a move that officials said is not in line with provisions of the Jail Manual. After receiving the money, the woman withdrew her complaint.
Director General of Prisons Sushant Nath said he has ordered an inquiry into the incident to ascertain how the ornaments went missing and under what circumstances the compensation was paid.