Choudwar Jail Superintendent Sujit Roul arrested over escape of two prisoners

Kataka: Choudwar Circle Jail Senior Superintendent Sujit Kumar Roul has been arrested in connection with alleged manipulation of jail records following the escape of two inmates from the prison last year.

A 10-member team of Choudwar police arrested Roul from his residence in Saheed Nagar, Bhubaneswar. He was subsequently taken to Choudwar police station.

The case relates to the escape of two criminals from Bihar, Raja Sahani and Madhukant Kumar, from Choudwar Circle Jail on October 3, 2025, during Dussehra celebrations. The two inmates were later arrested.

The former jailer, Santosini Das, had alleged on January 17, 2026, that Roul played a role in facilitating the escape. Based on her complaint, police registered a case and began investigating the alleged manipulation of the jail’s minute book and entry-exit registers.

According to the allegations, the entry and exit registers for October 1, 2 and 3, 2025, showed that Roul had been on continuous duty at the jail. However, CCTV footage showed that he was not present there for the entire period. Police found that he had visited the jail for short periods on the evening of October 1 and the morning of October 2.

After the inmates escaped on October 3, Roul arrived at the jail around 10 am and made an entry in the minute book stating that he had gone to Khurda on personal work on October 2. He also recorded that he had handed over charge to then-jailer Santosini Das during his absence. Das’ signature acknowledging the handover of charge was later found forged.

Roul was asked nine times to submit the minute book but failed to do so. On August 17, he filed a complaint claiming that the minute book had gone missing.

The matter had also reached the Orissa High Court. Roul was granted interim protection on March 23, but the court later rejected his plea for anticipatory bail. After the court ordered withdrawal of the interim protection, Roul went missing from August 29.