Abu Salem Serves Legal Notice to Sanju Filmmakers Over ‘Wrong Portrayal’, Demands Apology

Seeking an apology, Salem's notice said if the makers of the film failed to do so within a fortnight, he would be filing a defamation case against them, said ANI on Friday.

Mumbai, July 27: Gangster Abu Salem has sent a legal notice to the makers of  Hindi movie Sanju, seeking publication of contradiction to the wrong information about him in the movie. Seeking an apology, Salem’s notice said if the makers of the film failed to do so within a fortnight, he would be filing a defamation case against them, said ANI on Friday.

The notices have gone out to filmmakers Raju Hirani, Vidhu Vinod Chopra and others involved in the film. Sent through advocate Prashant Pandey, the notice said the film depicted Salem in a poor light and gave wrong information on him. With reference to a film scene, the notice stated that it was based on facts that were false. “The scene where Ranbir Kapoor (pictured as Sanjay Dutt) gives a confessional statement about possession of arms and ammunition during communal tension around our country in 1993, is defaming my client (Salem), as my client never supplied the arms and ammunition, as alleged to Sanjay Dutt, as pictured in the film,” the notice stated, as quoted by The Times of India. (Also read: Salem Sentenced to Seven Years in Extortion Case)

The notice said that Salem was not involved in supplying arms and ammunition to Dutt, as said by approvers in the blasts case. The notice claimed that Salem never met Dutt. It said that the film’s contents were “extremely insinuating, disparaging and defamatory attacking the reputation of Salem”. According to the daily, the notice stated that the scene be eliminated within 15 days of receipt of the legal notice, failing which action would be taken against the filmmakers. Salem is serving a life sentence after being convicted for his role in the 1993 Bombay blasts case.