Prison official suspended as inquiry and FIR process begin
Ajmer Central Jail has come under scrutiny after a video allegedly showing three convicted inmates communicating via video call with Nafees Chishti surfaced, prompting the Rajasthan prison department to suspend the jailer on duty and launch a departmental probe. The development raises fresh concerns about security and communication controls inside one of Rajasthan’s principal correctional facilities.
Rajasthan Director General of Prisons Ashok Rathore has ordered the immediate suspension of jailer Saddam Hussain, according to officials. The suspension order also directs that during the inquiry Hussain will report to Sriganganagar Central Jail. The prison administration has initiated the process of registering an FIR against Hussain and others at Civil Lines police station, Ajmer, the officials said.
"Rajasthan Director General of Prisons Ashok Rathore ordered the immediate suspension of jailer Saddam Hussain pending a departmental inquiry."
The video, which reportedly came to light recently, is believed by officials to have been recorded in November 2025. It appears to show inmates Syed Tariq Chishti, Syed Tausif Chishti (alias Chikki) and Fakhar Jamali speaking to Nafees Chishti by video call. According to officials, the call seems to have been made from the mobile phone of the jailer and the conversation took place from inside the jailer’s office, while Nafees Chishti was outside the prison and accompanied by two other, unidentified people.
Officials told reporters the circumstances surrounding the call "raised serious questions about the security and communication protocols at the prison", particularly because the use of unauthorised mobile phones by inmates is prohibited. The administration is examining the exact date of the video call, and officials said they were cross-checking the call timing against conviction dates and statements attributed to one of the inmates to narrow the timeline.
Immediate administrative and legal steps
The departmental action is twofold: an internal inquiry to determine breaches of protocol and the initiation of criminal proceedings. The process to file an FIR at the Civil Lines police station in Ajmer is underway, officials reported. During the suspension period the jailer has been posted to Sriganganagar Central Jail for reporting duties, as specified in the suspension order.
- Administrative action: Immediate suspension of jailer and departmental inquiry.
- Legal action: Process initiated to register an FIR at Civil Lines police station, Ajmer.
- Custodial control: Suspended officer to report to Sriganganagar Central Jail during inquiry.
The episode revives public and administrative attention on breaches of prison discipline in Rajasthan at a time when custodial standards and the prevention of unauthorised communications are under sharper scrutiny. Officials said the inquiry will determine whether the mobile phone belonged to the jailer and whether any other staff were involved or negligent.
| Name | Role/Status |
|---|---|
| Saddam Hussain | Jailer at Ajmer Central Jail — suspended pending inquiry |
| Syed Tariq Chishti | Convicted prisoner — seen on video |
| Syed Tausif Chishti (alias Chikki) | Convicted prisoner — seen on video |
| Fakhar Jamali | Convicted prisoner — seen on video |
| Nafees Chishti | Convicted accused in a case linked to the 1992 Ajmer sex scandal — on the other end of the video call |
Local police and prison department sources said the video has not yet been formally produced in court but is central to the ongoing administrative inquiry. The officials stressed that the exact circumstances — whether the call was live or a recorded playback and how the inmates obtained access — will be examined carefully. They also indicated that further disciplinary or criminal proceedings could follow based on inquiry findings.
Ajmer, with its long history and dense urban fabric around the central jail, faces renewed questions about institutional oversight after the CCTV-era footage suggested a significant lapse. For city residents and those following high-profile cases connected to Ajmer, the unfolding inquiry will be watched for both its legal consequences and the administrative reform measures it may prompt.
