Sanju letter blocked Perarivalan’s query on actor’s release

On Wednesday, during a hearing on the subject at the office of the Information Commission, Pune, a letter from Sanjay Dutt surfaced. In the letter, he had said, “I, Sanjay Dutt, hearby request your kind self not to give out any personal information without my knowledge…” in a letter dated September 5, 2015, to the information officer at Yerwada central prison.

The letter was submitted by the prison officer during the hearing of the case on Wednesday before the Information Commission. Lawyer Nilesh Ukey, representing Perarivalan, wanted to know if such government decisions were taken by a convict.

However, jail officials also produced a copy of the State Prison Department’s decision to exempt from disclosure information pertaining to jails in Maharashtra.

Apart from other issues, personal details of all prisoners, including date of release, leave, details of health, private properties, interview and wages would be made available only to the lawyer. After hearing both the sides, the Commission reserved its order.

The actor was convicted under the Arms Act in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts and was serving a five-year sentence in Yerwada prison when he was released in February 2016, three months before the end of his jail term.