The Bombay High Court at Goa on Tues day delivered a sharp re buke to authorities of the Modern Jail at Colvale, rejecting their compliance report on glaring security lapses as wholly inade quate and indicative of ad ministrative apathy. Hearing the matter, Jus tice Dr Neela Gokhale did not mince words, observ ing that the document submitted by jail officials “cannot be termed as a report”.
Justice Gokhale underscored the absence of seriousness in addressing breaches that strike at the core of prison se curity. The court’s censure comes in the backdrop of continuing concerns that inmates have been accessing mobile phones inside the jail, with allegations that such devices were be ing used to threaten complainants and witnesses — rais ing serious questions about internal control and possible complicity. The bench made it clear that perfunctory submissions would not pass muster. It demanded a granular, step-by step account of corrective measures, backed by verifiable evidence, warning that paperwork without demonstrable outcomes would be treated as non-compliance. The matter traces back to January, when the High Court had intervened after taking serious note of the mobile phone misuse. It had then directed the State government to install mobile signal jammers in and around the Colvale facility and sought urgent tightening of surveillance mech anisms. Equally troubling to the court was the existence of charg ing points inside prison cells—an anomaly it noted could not have occurred without the knowledge or tacit approval of jail authorities. The issue, the bench suggested, pointed to systemic failure rather than isolated oversight. Despite these earlier directions, the latest compliance report failed to inspire confidence, prompting the court to question whether officials were acting with any sense of urgency in a matter with direct implications for witness safety and the integrity of the criminal justice system. Seeking to salvage the situation, the government advo cate requested additional time to file a more detailed re port, including technical specifics on the installation of jammers, CCTV coverage, and removal of charging infra structure. Granting what it signalled would be a final opportunity, the court directed authorities to submit a comprehensive compliance report by April 18, 2026 — making it clear that any further lapses would invite stricter scrutiny.
