Team Goemkarponn
Panaji: In a revelation that has raised serious concerns about the security apparatus at one of Goa’s most fortified jails, authorities confirmed that a wide range of contraband — including mobile phones, narcotics, and even a Tata Sky set-top box — was found inside Colvale Central Jail over the past eight years.
The disclosures came to light during the ongoing Assembly session after a written reply was tabled by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant in response to a query raised by Leader of the Opposition Yuri Alemao.
According to the data, between 2017 and May 2025, a staggering 161 mobile phones were confiscated from inmates. In total, 171 prisoners were caught with banned items during this period. The seized items included mobile phones, SIM cards, chargers, data cables, copper wire bundles, Bluetooth speakers, earphones, power banks, card readers, and other electronic devices. However, what has left many shocked was the discovery of a Tata Sky satellite TV set-top box inside the high-security premises.
Beyond electronics, one inmate was reportedly caught with marijuana, while nine others were found with tobacco products, both prohibited within the prison.
The breach of security is not limited to inmates alone. The crackdown extended to jail staff, with 11 personnel from the Colvale facility suspended over the years on allegations of aiding the smuggling of liquor, drugs, and tobacco into the prison. While one of the suspended officers has since been reinstated, the rest continue to face departmental inquiries.
The disclosures have raised uncomfortable questions about internal lapses and the integrity of the jail administration, prompting calls for stricter surveillance and accountability mechanisms in Goa’s prison system.
The Colvale Central Jail, which was built to decongest the aging Aguada and Sada jails, was designed to be one of the most secure correctional facilities in the state. However, the persistent inflow of contraband signals deep-rooted systemic flaws that authorities now must urgently address.
