'Jail officers had prior information about death threats to Sanjay Dutt'
However, programme was cancelled only on day of the show
The top brass police officers of the city have claimed that the state prisons department had prior information about death threats to Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt and had asked for special bandobast for the programme at Balgandharva Rangmandir auditorium on Thursday. The programme was cancelled.
State prisons officers including additional director general of police (prisons) Meeran Chadha Borwankar had taken a security review at the auditorium on Wednesday at Balgandharva Rangmandir and had discussed security arrangements at the venue.
A senior police officer, on condition of anonymity, told dna, “On Wednesday, Borwankar had taken a review and had discussed security points with us. She had also asked for special bandobast at the venue on Thursday afternoon. Moreover, she had discussed how the prisoners’ vehicle should be whisked away from the venue.”
“During our discussion, Borwankar told us that the actor has received death threats,” the officer added.
When this reporter sent an SMS was sent to Borwankar on the issue, she did not reply.
Senior police inspector Manohar Joshi of the Deccan police station discussed security arrangements with senior officers. He told dna, “We deployed 15 officers and 100 policemen for the programme’s security. Besides, the chief minister’s bandobast was also deployed at the venue.”
Highly placed sources confirmed with dna that there was a death threat to the actor. When asked about what kind of threat the actor had faced, the officer was tight-lipped.
The prisons department had reportedly cancelled the programme after getting an order from chief minister Prithviraj Chavan on Thursday. Chavan and home minister RR Patil were to attend the programme.
While addressing the media, Borwankar had cited a security threat as the reason for the cancellation, but did not mention that officers had prior information about the threat to Dutt.
An officer of the rank of deputy commissioner of police, speaking on condition of anonymity, told dna, “Why was the prison department keen to conduct the programme? It was risky to bring 51 inmates outside the jail.”