Don’t give any info under RTI, Sasikala tells officials

BENGALURU: VK Sasikala, expelled leader of AIADMK, has written to the prison authorities requesting them not to provide any details related to her imprisonment or date of release. She has stated that no details should be provided under the RTI, as the applicants’ motive will be to “complicate her lawful release at the right time”.

In a letter addressed to the Chief Superintendent of the Bengaluru Central Prison in Parappana Agrahara, where she has been lodged since February 2017, Sasikala said, “I learned that several applications are being filed by third parties under the RTI Act, seeking information about the details of my imprisonment, date of release and other details. The said third parties file those applications for certain reasons -- gain publicity, political vendetta, etc. The oblique motive of some of the applicants is to complicate my lawful release at the right time.”

Her advocate, who has prepared the letter, has also cited a case in which the Central Jail in Tihar had denied information under the RTI in 2017, based on the grounds that details of undertrial prisoners as well as convicts are personal and any revelation of the identity of the same is barred under a section of the RTI.“The Central Information Commission concurred with the stand and upheld the decision by referring to the Supreme Court’s view that the Right to Privacy is a Fundamental Right.

Thus, furnishing any information regarding my imprisonment and other details may lead to intrusion into my privacy. Hence, I request your office not to entertain any RTI application and render justice,” Sasikala requested.However, the prison authorities said they will decide what information can be provided under the RTI on a case-to-case basis, after consultation with legal experts.