Chennai: A surprise raid at Central Puzhal prison was carried out on Wednesday by a police team led by assistant commissioner Venkatesh.
Sources said the raid intended to find if inmates possessed banned tobacco products and mobile phones, started at 6 am and extended for three hours.
More than 80 police personnel were involved in the search in the premises of Puzhal - I, II and III, which currently houses over 1,000 prisoners.
Police said they found an android mobile phone on the ground, which they suspect could be thrown away by an inmate, and nothing else could be found.
Puzhal prison was in the news during the second week of September after photographs of prisoners leading a luxurious life, was flashed in the media.
Following the news break, a team led by prison DIG Murugesan and new superintendent Senthil Kumar, had carried out surprise checks in Prison-1 and Prison-2, and had seized 18 TV sets from the A-Class wards.
Inmates were also found using USB ports to charge mobile phones. Sources said the seized cots were originally meant for the hospital in the premises, but had been provided to inmates who were ready to rent them out.
They also seized 29 television sets, 28 radios, four pressure cookers, 200 kg of basmati rice, 50 kg of dal, 75 kg of maida flour and 60 litres of cooking oil, and cots from several cells.Wednesday's raid is the sixth raid after the photo controversy, added sources.
