16 convicts serving their jail term at Lunglei jail in southern Mizoram have been let out of jail in the last four months on the basis of forged court documents, police said on Thursday.
Lalrutsanga, deputy superintendent at Lunglei District Prison, said the scam, which began in January this year, was discovered last week when the Lunglei District Sessions Court was unable to find records of release orders for some prisoners.
The judge submitted a police report on April 25, which led to a large-scale search for the 16 convicts. Ten of them were arrested, while five others are still on the run. One of the convicts died after his release.
He said the forged documents were so professionally drafted that they passed initial scrutiny. He added: “For us, delaying the issuance of judgments is prohibited. We do not dare to question the court’s orders.”
Lalrutsanga said a 22-year-old prisoner residing in the same prison, Jeremiah Lalthangtura, was suspected of planning the elaborate fraud.
A statement issued by the Mizoram Police said that Jeremiah Lalthangthura is facing eight criminal cases related to allegations of check fraud, cheating and online marketing fraud.
The prison official said that Jeremiah, the mastermind, was being interrogated by the police and was being subjected to strict surveillance.
“All-out efforts are being made to nab his accomplice out of prison since all the fake documents and judgments were printed with fake stamps, which he could not have done without accomplices,” Lalrutsanga said.
