MUMBAI: The goings-on at Yerwada Jail in Pune, where Mahatma Gandhi spent several years during the Independence struggle, have come to the fore once again after actor Sanjay Dutt was given another furlough, this time for 14 days.
The Maharashtra government on Friday announced an inquiry into how Dutt, convicted for illegally possessing arms during the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts, was repeatedly given the furlough, while other convicts were denied the same.
“A probe has to be conducted on whether rules have been flouted by certain officials to release him (Dutt),” said Minister of State for Home Ram Shinde.
“Since these permissions were granted not by me but at the level of police officers, we need to find out whether anybody has violated the prescribed rules. I have asked the DIG, Prisons to conduct the probe.”
Shinde added that he had received information that Dutt was repeatedly granted furloughs, while other prisoners were being denied their rights.
“The law has to be equal for everybody and all should be given equal treatment,” he said.
Dutt, who has been sentenced to 42 months in prison, was out on a furlough for 28 days in October last on medical grounds. Two months later, he was again granted a 30-day parole to spend time with his ailing wife Manyata.
BJP leader Vinod Tawde had alleged last year that Yerwada jail authorities supplied liquor to Dutt after taking money. “The jail authorities supplied rum to Dutt for `500 and homemade food for `1,000,” he had said.
Lok Sangram Party legislator Anil Gote also echoed Tawde.
Gote, who was imprisoned in Yerwada for four years for alleged involvement in the fake stamp paper case, claimed that prisoners could get anything if they shelled out money.
“The jail officers accept a paltry amount from the prisoners and provide them cigarettes, liquor, drugs and mobile phones. I had seen jail officers standing in queues to get their share from the gangsters at a specific day every month,” Gote said.
A senior Home Department official said he had received several complaints about Yerwada Jail Superintendent Yogesh Desai’s style of functioning.
Interestingly, Desai was suspended twice for his dubious record. The first time was after a Kalyan jail inmate alleged that Desai had taken a bribe from him.
The local court acquitted Desai in this case. He was again suspended after members of Chhota Rajan’s gang killed one of their shooters at the Nashik Central Jail, then under Desai’s watch.