With 75 undertrials moved to the new Taloja Prison, the notorious jail sees a dip in activities like extortion, underworld plots and drug use

A few years ago, Arthur Road jail was considered to be one of the most feared prisons with notorious undertrials almost running a second home inside u2014 from hatching a murder to extorting money, procuring drugs and mobile phones. All this and more heinous activities were rampantly carried out in this jail.

Arun Gawli, who was earlier at the Arthur Road jail, has now been shifted

The jail was literally ruled by underworld elements belonging to Dawood Ibrahim, Chotta Shakeel and Chotta Rajan gang members.

However, since March 2009, the scene within Arthur Road jail is far more trouble free than otherwise. The prison management moved out 75 undertrials from Arthur Road to the newly operational Taloja Prison in Navi Mumbai.

According to prison sources, amongst those who have been shifted include approximately 25 inmates belonging to Rajan's most trusted lieutenants D K Rao and Vickey Malhotra, 31 henchmen working for Dawood and Chotta Shakeel including Salim Kutta and Kotta Shakeel, and above all, the 7/11 bomb blast accused who were known for making false accusations against the prison staff and police. Interestingly, even gangster turned politician Arun Gawli and his associates arrested recently by the Crime Branch have been shifted to Taloja Prison.

Within the four walls

The brutal killing of Rajan aide O P Singh in the high security Nashik jail in 2002 was hatched and executed by D K Rao from Arthur Road jail. Subsequently, in 2005, the criminal intelligence unit of the Crime Branch found gangster D K Rao in conversation with his gang members during his confinement in Arthur Road Jail.

From recruitment drives for gangs to planning murders and extortion, everything is micro-managed by convicts and undertrials from within the confines of high security prisons.

Undertrials were dancing near circle number 6 to the tunes of a deejay, called in specially so they could celebrate New Year's Eve in 2005. On that night, food and drinks were also arranged.

Charas and ganja were being sold for a mere Rs 100 inside the cell, thanks to the Nigerians lodged there. The fact was brought to light when a prison vigilance team conducted a surprise check inside Arthur Road jail and seized the drugs from a Nigerian.

About the shifting to Taloja Prison, Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime) Rakesh Maria says, "It is a two fold measure firstly to tackle overcrowding of the prison and secondly, to prevent gangsters from spreading their tentacles and establish their hold inside the jails."