2 hours ago
4
ARTICLE AD BOX
In the video, shot inside a special hall, the two accused are seen dancing and enjoying themselves. (Express Photo)
Two officials of the Birsa Munda Central Jail at Hotwar in Ranchi have been suspended after a video showing two prisoners accused in separate cases dancing inside the jail premises went viral on social media.
Following the video’s circulation, jail authorities alerted senior officials, prompting the Inspector General (Prisons) to order an inquiry. After the allegations were found to be true in the preliminary report, Assistant Jailor Devnath Ram and Jamadar Vinod Kumar Yadav were suspended with immediate effect.
Officials said the video is a few months old and was reportedly recorded inside a special hall in the jail where a few inmates are provided access to amenities such as a TV, cooler, and other facilities. In the video, the two accused are seen dancing and enjoying themselves. The two were identified as Vidhu Gupta, an accused in a liquor scam, and Vicky Bhalotia, an accused in a multi-crore GST fraud.
Vidhu Gupta, who was the managing director of Prism Holography Security Films Pvt Ltd, was arrested by the Jharkhand Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) in July 2025 for allegedly supplying fake holograms for liquor bottles in Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh, and reportedly admitted to paying commissions worth nearly Rs 90 crore to officials. The ACB’s FIR against him details manipulated tenders and irregular contracts linked to the excise department.
Vicky Bhalotia, a businessman from Jugsalai, Jamshedpur, was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in May 2025 for his alleged role in a massive GST fraud case involving fake invoices and shell companies. According to the ED, Bhalotia controlled multiple firms that claimed inadmissible Input Tax Credit worth crores, contributing to a network of bogus transactions estimated at over Rs 14,000 crore.
Sudharshan Murmu, Superintendent of Birsa Munda Central Jail, said, “Yes, the video is old — about three to four months. Action has already been taken against those responsible.”
“Such things should not happen inside the jail. The officers who failed in their duty have been punished. Anyone who does wrong will face action,” he said.
Shubham Tigga hails from Chhattisgarh and studied journalism at the Asian College of Journalism. He previously reported in Chhattisgarh on Indigenous issues and is deeply interested in covering socio-political, human rights, and environmental issues in mainland and NE India. Presently based in Pune, he reports on civil aviation, other transport sectors, urban mobility, the gig economy, commercial matters, and workers' unions. You can reach out to him on LinkedIn ... Read More
Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram
© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd
English (US) ·