BUREAU: Sleuths of the Vigilance Wing of the Coimbatore Central Prison conducted an inquiry with prisoners at the district prison in Gobichettipalayam in Erode over allegations of misconduct by a jail staff.

Following complaints that prison staff took mobile numbers of women coming to see their family members lodged in the prison and later harassed them by making frequent calls, an inquiry was initiated.

It is said that the staff also allowed prisoners to use mobile phones by collecting a fee. A team of the vigilance wing carried out an inquiry regarding the issue.

However, an official of the prison department refuted any specific charges against the staff and claimed that it was only a routine inspection. Over 125 prisoners from Erode, Coimbatore and Tirupur districts have been lodged in the district prison.