Punjab jail officials arrested after gangster claims illegal drug racket ring

4 min readJalandharJul 5, 2026 07:08 PM IST

The arrests followed a viral video allegedly recorded by Manpreet Manna from inside Hoshiarpur Central Jail. (Image generated using AI)

A Deputy Superintendent of Hoshiarpur Central Jail and a jail warden have been arrested following a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe into allegations made by jailed gangster Manpreet “Manna” Singh in a viral video, in which he accused prison officials of running an illegal drug racket and extorting inmates.

The arrested officials — Deputy Superintendent Harbhajan Singh and jail warden Ravinder Singh — were taken into custody by the CIA Staff after investigators reportedly found evidence to support some of the allegations.

The arrests followed a viral video allegedly recorded by Manpreet Manna from inside Hoshiarpur Central Jail. In the video, he levelled serious allegations against prison officials, prompting an investigation. Harbhajan Singh was arrested by the CIA Staff during the intervening night of July 4 and 5 in connection with an FIR registered at Hoshiarpur City Police Station on June 14.

Harbhajan Singh has been booked under the Punjab Prisons and Correctional Services Act, the NDPS Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

Senior Superintendent of Police Sandeep Malik said the case was registered following a complaint from the Jail Department. He said an SIT led by SP Major Singh was constituted to investigate the allegations. During the preliminary inquiry, a mobile phone was recovered from inside the jail, leading to further action.

SSP Malik said the SIT probe revealed money transactions linked to the allegations, while contraband was also recovered from the jail. He added that at least 12 arrests have been made so far and further investigation is underway.

The controversy began when Manpreet Manna, currently lodged in Hoshiarpur Central Jail, allegedly recorded and circulated a video from inside the prison using a mobile phone.

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In the video, Manna displayed what he claimed was a packet of “Ice” (methamphetamine) and questioned how both a smartphone and drugs could be available inside a high-security jail.

“I am inside Hoshiarpur Jail. This is a phone in my hand, and this is ‘Ice’ in my pocket. Tell me how these reached inside the jail. We are forced to sell drugs here,” Manna alleged in the video.

He further claimed that inmates were regularly pressured to pay money to jail officials and alleged that those refusing to comply were assaulted with the help of police personnel brought in from outside.

Manna also accused prison authorities of allowing illegal activities inside the jail.

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He further alleged that despite raising complaints, he was isolated, denied sleep for several days and feared for his life.

In the video, Manna appealed directly to Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, urging him to intervene.

He claimed that prisoners trying to reform were instead being exploited by corrupt officials and said inmates were repeatedly taken on police remand and pressured to assist in criminal investigations by arranging weapons or identifying suspects.

At one point, Manna said that if authorities could not protect prisoners from harassment, they should “either find a solution or shoot us”, adding that inmates were being pushed towards further criminality instead of rehabilitation.

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Manpreet Manna is an A-category gangster from Talwandi Sabo in Punjab and is currently lodged in Hoshiarpur Central Jail. He has been named in several major criminal cases, including allegations relating to the 2021 murder of gangster Kulbir Naruana and the 2022 murder conspiracy involving Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala. Investigators have previously alleged that Manna helped conduct reconnaissance and arranged logistical support for the shooters, although he was already in jail at the time of the killing. He has also faced fresh allegations of operating extortion rackets from inside prison.