Thiruvananthapuram: In a major development, former Jail DIG P Ajayakumar has come forward, levelling grave allegations against Balram Kumar Upadhyay, Director General of Prisons & Correctional Services, accusing him of facilitating corrupt practices within the jails across Kerala.

According to Ajayakumar, it was Upadhyay who enabled the suspended Headquarters DIG M K Vinod Kumar to operate irregularly, including arranging special facilities and granting parole in exchange for lakhs in bribes. Ajayakumar further alleged that Upadhyay never examined official files and records, instead entrusting Vinod Kumar with the authority of the Prison Head. This, in turn, enabled him to amass substantial sums of money. He also claimed that Upadhyay personally benefited from these arrangements.

Over the past three years, Upadhyay has visited fewer than half of the nearly 60 institutions under the jail department. When Ajayakumar raised concerns about Vinod Kumar’s alleged corrupt activities, he claims Upadhyay responded with hostility and vindictiveness.

After preliminary investigations confirmed that Vinod Kumar had accepted lakhs in bribes from jail inmates, including Kodi Suni, a convict in the T P Chandrashekharan murder case, the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau filed a case against him. A week after the case was registered, Vinod Kumar was suspended from service the previous day.

Upadhyay rubbishes Ajaykumar’s allegations
Meanwhile, Balram Kumar Upadhyay, in a press note, has stated that the allegations raised by Ajayakumar against him are baseless. He accused Ajayakumar of launching a vindictive attack, taking advantage of the situation created by Vinod Kumar’s suspension.

According to Upadhyay, Ajayakumar has been making these remarks out of malice. Upadhyay also pointed out that Ajayakumar himself had been suspended earlier for providing unauthorised special facilities for businessman Boby Chemmanoor inside the jail. The matter had been investigated by the Headquarters DIG, and based on the report, Ajayakumar was suspended in January this year.

Upadhyay further stated that the report had also highlighted complaints against Ajayakumar for irresponsible conduct throughout his service, including the unauthorised use of vehicles and hotels belonging to inmates.