COLVALE: The Goa Prison Department has suspended a jail warden after a video allegedly showing him celebrating with a known history-sheeter went viral on social media, triggering widespread outrage and raising serious concerns about discipline within the prison administration.
Jail Warden Laxman Padloskar, posted at the Central Jail, Colvale, was placed under suspension on Saturday following the circulation of the video in which he is purportedly seen celebrating the grant of bail to history-sheeter Amogh Naik, who was recently released on conditional bail. The suspension has been ordered pending a detailed de partmental inquiry. Confirming the action, Superintendent of Police (Prisons) Sucheta Desai said the suspension was necessary to ensure a fair and impartial investigation. “The action has been taken pending a detailed departmental inquiry into the incident,” she stated, adding that strict action would follow if any misconduct is established. The video, which surfaced shortly after the accused’s release, allegedly shows the warden in a celebratory mood along with individuals accompanying the history-sheeter. Sources further claimed that
celebrations took place outside the jail premises, with allegations of a “bail party” involving alcohol consumption, though these claims are yet to be officially verified.
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The incident has drawn sharp criticism from various quarters, with questions being raised about the conduct, integrity and accountability of prison officials entrusted with maintaining discipline and law within the correctional system. Significantly, the suspension comes close on the heels of strong observations by the Goa Bench of the Bombay High Court, which had just two days earlier expressed serious concern over the alleged availability of mobile phones and other contraband inside Colvale Central Jail. The High Court had directed strict compliance with prison rules and warned authorities against lapses in jail administration.
The latest controversy has further intensified scrutiny of the functioning of the Colvale Central Jail, already under the scanner for alleged security breaches and procedural lapses. Senior officials are expected to closely monitor the inquiry, which will examine whether the warden’s actions violated service conduct rules and under-mined the credibility of the prison system.
