Arthur Road jail: The priciest beds available in Mumbai

Arthur Road jail prisoner, beaten for speaking up, accuses prison officials ‘charge’ up to Rs 3 lakh for separate bedding space and material and that local officers are hushing up his criticisms.

At Arthur Road jail, some corrupt officials are getting wealthy by selling exclusive bedding space to prisoners at Rs 3 lakh per head, alleged an undertrial who landed in the hospital with a broken hand after fighting their dadagiri. 

Because of overcrowding, prisoners are flocked together behind bars and forced to sleep on one another.

Sikandar Shaikh, the undertrial’s younger brother, allegedly approached the NM Joshi Marg cops for action, but they muted up his complaint.

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Iqbal Abbas Shaikh, who has been jailed at the almost century-old Arthur Road jail since September 2021 about a murder case, had first requested an officer for a proper room to sleep in but was told to pay up, according to Sikandar. 

When he claimed against the apparent extortion and urged on having the space, havaldar M K Bhoir verbally abused him, Sikandar told the media. 

After that, Bhoir caned him mercilessly, Sikandar told. “My brother told me that he was poorly rod charged on April 24 by Bhoir for no fault of his.”