Jailor Iqbal Singh Brar’s connection with controversies: Suspended for 2 years for demanding bribe from inmates in Sangrur Jail, Goindwal came to Channi government

After the murder of two gangsters in Punjab’s Goindwal Jail and then the video of Lawrence gang’s celebration surfaced, the Punjab government has registered a case against 7 officers and employees including Jail Superintendent Iqbal Singh Brar. Jail Superintendent Iqbal Singh Brar has an old association with such controversies.

Brar was also suspended five years ago after a video of him demanding bribe from inmates in Sangrur Jail surfaced. At that time Brar was the jail superintendent there.

The matter is of October-2018 when a video of 7 inmates of Sangrur Jail surfaced. These prisoners included Hawalati Gurpreet Singh resident of Dhanaula, Mandeep Singh resident of Bugra, Gurpyar Singh resident of Ugrahan, Makhan Singh resident of Kheri Jatta, Gurwinder Singh resident of Togwal, Gurbant Singh resident of Chahar and Ranjit Singh resident of Kauriyan.

These seven people said in the video that mobile phones were recovered from them in the jail. His allegation was that Jail Superintendent Iqbal Singh Brar demanded one lakh rupees from him and threatened to implicate him in a false case if he did not pay the amount. When they expressed their inability to pay such a huge amount, they were locked in a small cell of 8X8 feet. His condition in this cell is very bad.

Captain Sarkar started inquiry
At the time when the video of these prisoners surfaced, there was a Congress government in Punjab and Captain Amarinder Singh was the Chief Minister. The state government took immediate action against some jail officials and started a detailed inquiry into the matter. A year later, in November 2019, the government also suspended jail superintendent Iqbal Singh Brar.

Goindwal came back after two years
Iqbal Singh Brar was reinstated after being suspended for almost two years. When Goindwal Jail started in December-2021, the then Congress government headed by Charanjit Singh Channi appointed Iqbal Singh Brar as Superintendent of Goindwal Jail. From December 2021, Iqbal Singh Brar was posted in this jail.

Sangrur Central Correctional Home.

goindwal jail infamous for mobile
After the gang war in the jail and its video surfaced, the Punjab government may have taken a big action against the jail superintendent and other officers here, but this jail has been infamous for getting mobile phones. The police had arrested the deputy superintendent of this jail, Balbir Singh, five months back. It was alleged that Balbir Singh was running a gang to supply drugs and mobile phones to the prisoners.

Even after the action against Balbir Singh, the work of reaching mobile phones inside the jail continued. On the very next day of the gang war on February 26, 10 mobiles were recovered from the jail.

Gangster Tinu has attacked the prisoners
Gangster Deepak Tinu, the main accused in the Sidhu Musewala murder case, is also lodged in Goindwal Jail. In January 2023 itself, Deepak Tinnu, along with his colleagues, attacked three prisoners inside the jail with iron rods.

Planning of RPG attack on police station also from this jail
In December-2022, Sarhali police station in Tarn Taran district of Punjab was attacked with an RPG rocket. Considering it a terrorist attack, the police arrested 12 accused. It was revealed in the police investigation that the conspiracy of this attack was hatched by Ajmeet Singh who was lodged in Goindwal Jail. Only after that, in October-2022, the Special Task Force (STF) of Punjab Police arrested Balbir Singh, Deputy Superintendent of Goindwal Jail.