Sena (UBT) MP steps in as DJ Clayton remains jailed in Sharjah

Clayton Rodrigues with wife Falyn. File pic

As the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has remained unresponsive in the case of Bandra-based DJ Clayton Rodrigues, who was allegedly framed in a fake drug case and arrested in Sharjah in February last year, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi has stepped in to support him, writing to both Foreign Minister Jaishankar's office and the Chief Foreign Secretary to highlight the issue. Despite the family's persistent efforts to seek assistance, there has been no response from Jaishankar's office.

In a letter to the Foreign Ministry, Chaturvedi wrote, "This is to bring to your notice the case of a Mumbai-based disc jockey who has been framed for carrying a small quantity of drugs and has been in jail in Sharjah, UAE, for more than 1.5 years. Clayton Rodrigues, the DJ, was framed by a Mumbai-based baker, Anthony Paul, who tricked four others through the same scheme and now roams free."

The letter further reads, "The Mumbai Crime Branch charge sheet against Rodrigues clearly states that he was not aware of the drugs planted in his bag during his travel to Sharjah. Yet, he has been detained for more than 18 months in a foreign country. An actress, Chrisann Pereira, had also fallen victim to Paul's actions and was arrested in Sharjah for a month before Indian authorities rescued her."

The letter penned by Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi to EAM S Jaishankar

Requesting urgent action, Chaturvedi said, "I urge you and your team to take immediate action and repatriate our young talent at the earliest, given that the proof for his release is already available in the charge sheet. The culprit in this case and others who fell prey to his ill-doings have already been released, and it is only fair that Rodrigues is released from jail and allowed to return to his life back in Mumbai."

mid-day has published multiple reports on Rodrigues and Pereira, who managed to return last year with the help of a Crime Branch investigation and MEA intervention. Despite it being proven that the same accused who framed Pereira are responsible for framing Rodrigues, he remains in jail. Recently, the high court granted bail to the accused, Paul, and his associate, Ravi Bhobhate, leaving Clayton's family frustrated. While the accused have been set free, Clayton continues to serve a 25-year sentence in Sharjah, still waiting for justice.