Aizawl, May 1: Sixteen convicts serving sentences in Mizoram’s Lunglei jail were fraudulently released over a period of four months using forged court documents.
The incident came to light after officials at the Lunglei District and Sessions Court failed to find judicial records authorising the release of certain inmates.
Police said the alleged fraud began in January and remained undetected until last week. A police complaint was filed on April 25.
“A massive search operation led to the rearrest of 13 convicts. Two others are still on the run, while one convict died after being released,” a senior police officer said.
The fake release orders carried fabricated seals and formatting that closely resembled authentic court directives.
According to police, preliminary investigations revealed that a 22-year-old inmate, Jeremiah Lalthangtura, is the suspected mastermind.
“We suspect that Lalthangtura ran the operation from inside the jail, exploiting procedural trust and coordinating with accomplices. He has a strong network inside the jail and managed the entire operation. We have launched an investigation,” a police official said.
He added that Lalthangtura faces eight criminal cases, including cheque fraud, cheating and online financial scams.
“All-out efforts are on to nab his accomplices outside the jail, as the forged documents and judgments, complete with fake seals, could not have been produced without external help,” the officer said.
Also Read: Meghalaya woman found dead in Bengaluru flat; KSU demands fair inquiry
Also Watch
Find latest news from every corner of Northeast India at hubnetwork.in, your online source for breaking news, video coverage.
Also, Follow us on
Twitter-twitter.com/nemediahub
Youtube channel- www.youtube.com/@NortheastMediaHub2020
Instagram- www.instagram.com/ne_media_hub
Download our app from playstore – Northeast Media Hub
