The officers are also expected to go into the possible nexus between the criminals and the jail staff, including the suspended superintendent of the prison. It may be recalled that after the escape of Kokani from police custody at JJ Hospital, the superintendent of Thane central jail W M Gavai was suspended on the charges of dereliction of duty and facilitating Kokani's escape.

The two senior officials were directed by Maharashtra Home Minister and Deputy Chief Minister Gopinath Munde to visit the jail and submit a report on the nexus between the jail authorities and the criminals and also suggest methods to improve the jails in the State.

The two officials were accompanied by the Thane district collector SrikanthSingh and the Thane police commissioner Om Prakash Bali. They visited the different cells in the prison and met the inmates, enquired about the jail premises and also visited the health care unit in the jail and the facilities available there.

It may be recalled that Munde himself had said that it was a free for all in the Thane jail as the inmates were provided with VIP facilities. A preliminary enquiry conducted by Sringarvel had revealed that there were at least two mobile phones in the possession of two of the prison inmates, who were members of the Dawood gang. According to reports, mobile phones, simcards, calculators and radios were seized from three of the inmates.

Thane police commissioner O P Bali also submitted a confidential report to the Government in which he is reported to have made a reference to the electronic equipments possessed by inmates, which they used for various nefarious activities.

Besides, sometime back, the Thane police had complained to the Home Department that members ofthe Arun Gawli and Bhai Thakur gang -- who were lodged in the Thane jail -- possessed arms and mobile phones. They were frequently contacting their agents and friends in Mumbai and demanding ransom and ordering killings, it was alleged.

The members of the committee who have been ordered to submit a report within fifteen days on the conditions of Thane jail are principal secretary (home) G C Tripathi and medical education secretary Thomas Benjamin.