Bengaluru: A warder working at the Parappana Agrahara Central Prison has been arrested after cigarettes and suspected narcotic substances were found in his possession during a routine security check. The incident has raised serious concerns over internal misconduct within the state’s largest prison.

The arrested warder has been identified as Rahul Patil. According to officials, the arrest was made based on a complaint filed by Jail Superintendent Paramesh, who directed police action immediately after the materials were seized.

Rahul Patil had joined the Prison Department in 2018 and previously served at the Belagavi jail before being transferred to Parappana Agrahara. Since June 29 of this year, he had been serving as a warder at the Bengaluru central prison.

On Friday around 6:50 pm, Rahul arrived at the main entrance of the jail to report for duty. During routine checking by KSESF security staff, two packets of cigarettes and nearly 60 grams of a substance suspected to be narcotics were recovered from him. The security staff immediately alerted senior jail authorities, who conducted further verification.

Following the discovery, Parappana Agrahara Police registered an FIR based on the superintendent’s written complaint. Rahul was subsequently taken into custody for further investigation.

The jail administration has stated that strict action will be taken against any staff involved in smuggling prohibited items into the prison. Authorities are also investigating whether the warder was supplying these materials to inmates or acting on behalf of an external network.