Kerala prison officer suspended over remarks in Govindachamy jailbreak case

Thiruvananthapuram: A deputy prison officer has been suspended for making unauthorised statements to the media regarding the Govindachamy jailbreak case. Abdul Sathar, posted at the Kottarakkara Special Sub Jail, was suspended after his remarks were deemed to have put the Home Department in a difficult position and demoralised other staff members -- a serious breach of conduct, according to the suspension order.

In his comments to the media, Sathar claimed that Govindachamy had previously threatened to escape from jail. According to Sathar, the convict said that if he managed to flee, he would come to the officer’s home, tie him up, and brutally rape his family members.

Sathar also alleged that inmates had informed him of stolen gold being hidden in crematoriums in Coimbatore and claimed that those involved in handling the gold were connected to Govindachamy’s case. He further stated that Govindachamy had harassed multiple women prior to his imprisonment.

Sathar further added that if Govindachamy were sentenced to death and no executioner was available, he would be willing to serve as the hangman himself.

The prison department took disciplinary action on the grounds that Sathar’s statements to the press violated protocol and reflected poorly on the department, especially given the sensitive nature of the case.