Do VIP prisoners have different rules from lesser mortals? An RTI reply from the Aluva sub jail definitely seems to suggest so. Records that were made available on the RTI query by Advocate DB Binu show that actor Dileep, who was in the prison for 85 days as an accused in the abduction and sexual assault of a woman actor, had a sea of visitors from the film fraternity during his stay.
Whereas prisoners usually are allowed 4 to 5 visitors in a month, according to lawyers, the RTI reply, accessed by some media channels, shows that Dileep had 78 visitors in 85 days. In fact on September 5 alone, 13 different people were allowed to meet Dileep in prison. The visitor’s book mentions that several persons had visited Aluva sub jail to discuss ‘case related matters’ with Dileep.
Image: Mathrubhumi
RTI activist and advocate DB Binu told media persons, “As many as 13 visitors were allowed to meet Dileep in a day. This amounts to grave violations of rules regarding the visitor’s entry to jail. Jail superintendent has the rights to stretch the number of visitors allowed for a prisoner, but what we see here is misuse of power. Nobody is above law.”
The records also show that many of the visitors did not even fill in the required details in the register.
Image: Mathrubhumi
According to Mathrubhumi News, the RTI reveals that actor Siddique, who visited Dileep to ‘discuss case related matters’, was not even asked to file an application to visit him. The jail superintendent had reportedly allowed Siddique and others to visit the actor ‘as per the recommendation of the DGP (Prisons).
Dileep was allowed visitors even on holidays under the supervision of the Jail superintendent, according to media reports.
Actor and MLA Ganesh Kumar’s visit to the jail was found revised and rewritten in the records. Other people from the industry including Ranjith, Antony Perumbavoor and Lal jose visited Dileep to discuss case related issues. Actor Jayaram was also given permission to visit Dileep on Onam, according to reports.
Dileep was arrested on July 10 and lodged in the Aluva sub jail for 85 days, until he got bail on October 3. The actor is accused of masterminding the plot to abduct and sexually assault a woman actor. The main accused in the case, Pulsar Suni, had named Dileep during interrogation and claimed he was the one who plotted the assault.