No breach in Navjot Sidhu's security in Patiala jail: Punjab Jail Department

However, when the matter came to the fore, the barracks of the dismissed inspector were immediately changed even as an inquiry has been started into the matter by the jail authorities. When Navjot Sidhu was locked up with Inderjit Singh on Friday, the jail staff was also shocked by the decision of the authorities. Sidhu has been constantly raising his voice against drug traffickers and is said to be on the hit list of drug traffickers.

Patiala/Chandigarh (Punjab): Refuting media reports claiming that there has been a major security breach of former Punjab Congress president Navjot Singh Sidhu as he was lodged in the same cell with an accused in a drugs case at Patiala jail, the State's Jail Department dubbed such reports as false and defamatory.

A spokesperson of the Punjab Jail Department said that Sidhu was never put in the same cell with former police constable Inderjit Singh who has been accused in several cases. "All these news and reports are devoid of truth and baseless, false, and defamatory. Inderjit Singh was lodged in a separate cell and he never shared any cell with Mr. Sidhu after entering the jail," the spokesperson said.

The spokesperson also said that the background of the prisoners with whom Sidhu is sharing a cell has been thoroughly checked in view of his security. He also said that there has not been any lapse on part of the jail authorities and security protocols are being strictly maintained.

The development comes after some media reports claimed that Sidhu was lodged in the same cell in Patiala Jail with former police constable Inderjit Singh who was dismissed from service due to his alleged involvement in a drug case. The reports also claimed that even the staff at Patiala Jail were shocked by the jail authority's decision to put Sidhu in the same cell with Singh as the former is said to be on the hit list of drug peddlers for constantly raising his voice against them.