Living away from her husband, Divya Chaudhary wanted help managing her two young daughters and rented accommodation, about 8 km from the Ajmer Central Jail where she worked as a jailer. Apparently unable to handle the increasing workload at home and office, the 37-year-old came up with an idea: taking the help of two female inmates lodged at the Women’s Reformatory within the Central Jail.On July 12, Divya tried to walk out of jail with two inmates — Kiran alias Setha, who is serving a life sentence, and Sana, an undertrial. The episode has now put Chaudhary behind bars in the same jail where she was responsible for the custody and security of inmates. Police allege that she misused her position to take the two women out for domestic work, despite protests from jail staff.Under the Rajasthan Prisons Rules, 2022, the jailer (karapal) is responsible for the custody, security and discipline of prisoners and for reporting security lapses and other irregularities to the Superintendent.According to officials, Chaudhary, along with her ‘friend’ and colleague, constable Sonia Chaudhary, tried to walk out of the jail with the two inmates, but an altercation ensued at the gates. Officials said that “despite the protests of other jail personnel” posted at the main gate of the women’s prison, Chaudhary and Sonia “intimidated” the staff.A native of Rajasthan’s Bhilwara, Chaudhary lived on rent in Ajmer, while her husband, also a jailer, was posted in Kota. “Her daughters are very young. She wanted them (the inmates) to take care of her daughters and also clean the house,” Ajmer Deputy SP Shivam Joshi said.Soon after she left, word spread, and the two inmates stayed out for barely “an hour or two” before they were back inside, the police said. “Her actions were illegal and unlawful; prisoners are kept in jail under the protection of the court. So, a case was lodged, and an investigation was initiated,” the DSP said.Once the internal inquiry was completed and her guilt was established, a case was registered at Ajmer’s Civil Lines police station on August 5 based on a report from Ajmer Central Jail guard Mahipal Mangloda. However, to avoid arrest, Chaudhary went absconding after the FIR was registered.Story continues below this adA special police team was formed under Civil Lines SHO Shambhu Singh, under the direction of Additional SP Himanshu Jangid and Deputy SP Shivam Joshi. The team included regular police personnel as well as officials from the cyber cell.“The police team thoroughly analysed CCTV footage, technical evidence, and records from the crime scene and began tracking her with the help of the cyber cell. On Tuesday, October 6, a special team of Ajmer police raided a residential flat in Kota district and arrested her,” an official said.Moinuddeen, ASI at Ajmer’s Civil Lines police station, said that “she was at her husband’s rented apartment. He is a prison guard in Kota. Earlier, both the daughters were with her in Ajmer. We tracked her location with her mobile number… Her husband was at his village when we went to the Kota apartment.”“In her defence, she has claimed that she wanted someone to help clean her house and had asked her subordinate (Sonia) to get women from the Open Jail, as they can step out. But the subordinate brought these two women instead. Of course she will claim innocence now…” he said.Story continues below this adThe unusual case had an unusual culmination too; as per DSP Shivam Joshi, “She has now been lodged at the same jail she was working at.”