Archive · 13 Aug 2026
Priyank Kharge Orders Surprise Raid on Bengaluru Central Prison
A leader in the Indian state of Karnataka named Priyank Kharge, who is in charge of prisons and police, decided to check on a big jail in the city of Bengaluru.
He sent about 100 police officers there for a surprise check, so nobody knew they were coming.
The officers found things that prisoners are not allowed to have, like mobile phones and notebooks.
They even found a phone, a pen drive and a diary in the room of former member of Parliament Prajwal Revanna, who is in jail for a serious crime.
Police have now filed a case against him and the prisoner who shares his room.
Minister Kharge believes some jail workers may have been secretly helping prisoners break the rules, and he has suspended those workers.
He also ordered a check of the machines that block mobile phone signals in the jail, because some may not be working.
He said prisoners should never get special VIP treatment and warned that he will hold surprise checks at other jails in the state as well.
His message is that anyone who breaks the rules, whether a prisoner or a jail worker, will face action.
Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge ordered a surprise raid at Bengaluru Central Prison in Parappana Agrahara after noticing administrative lapses during a recent visit.
Around 100 Central Crime Branch personnel, led by Additional Commissioner of Police Ajay Hilori, carried out the raid after Kharge obtained Chief Minister D K Shivakumar's permission.
A Redmi Android mobile phone, a pen drive and a diary were found concealed in the barrack of former MP and rape convict Prajwal Revanna.
An FIR was registered with Prajwal Revanna named as Accused No. 1 along with his barrack-mate Pratap Rai, and more than 120 mobile phones have been seized from the prison so far.
Kharge suspended officials suspected of facilitating the violations, ordered an audit of jammers and digital infrastructure, and warned of similar surprise raids in prisons across Karnataka.
- Who
- Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge ordered the raid; around 100 Central Crime Branch personnel, led by Additional Commissioner of Police Ajay Hilori, carried it out; former MP Prajwal Revanna was found with a smartphone.
- What
- A surprise raid on Bengaluru Central Prison that uncovered prohibited items, including a Redmi Android phone, pen drive and diary in Prajwal Revanna's barrack, leading to suspensions of prison officials and an FIR against inmates.
- When
- The raid was conducted on Tuesday, and Kharge confirmed his order on Wednesday, August 12; he had visited the prison two to three weeks earlier.
- Where
- Bengaluru Central Prison at Parappana Agrahara, Bengaluru, Karnataka, with similar raids planned at other prisons across the state.
- Why
- Because Kharge detected administrative lapses during his visit and suspected prison officials were cooperating with inmates to bring prohibited items inside.
- Raid location
- Bengaluru Central Prison, Parappana Agrahara
- Ordered by
- Karnataka Home Minister Priyank Kharge
- Approval
- Chief Minister D K Shivakumar's permission
- Force deployed
- Around 100 Central Crime Branch personnel led by Additional Commissioner Ajay Hilori
- Items recovered from Revanna's barrack
- Redmi Android mobile phone, pen drive and diary
- Legal action
- FIR registered; Prajwal Revanna named Accused No. 1
- Action against officials
- Suspension ordered for officials suspected of facilitating violations
- Additional order
- Technical audit of digital infrastructure, including mobile-phone jammers
