MUMBAI, Shiv Sena (UBT) lawmaker Sanjay Raut has claimed that he may have been exposed to a “slow poison” while in prison in connection with the Patra Chawl money laundering case, and suggested that it could be linked to his later cancer diagnosis. Raut, however, has presented the poisoning allegation as a suspicion, and there is no independent confirmation that he was poisoned or that any toxic substance caused his illness. Raut said he spent 101 days at Mumbai’s Arthur Road Jail after being arrested on Aug. 1, 2022. He was released on Nov. 9, 2022. According to Raut, he began experiencing health problems while he was in prison and was diagnosed with stomach cancer in November 2025. He subsequently underwent chemotherapy and radiation treatment at home and in hospitals. Raut Links Illness to Time in Prison In an interview with a Marathi newspaper in Kolhapur, Raut said he believed his cancer had begun while he was in jail, although it was diagnosed only after his release. During a subsequent news conference, he was asked whether he believed he had again been subjected to “slow poisoning.” Raut said he had begun to suspect that possibility. Raut also raised concerns about the food and water provided in prison, suggesting that they could potentially have been tampered with. He did not provide evidence to substantiate the allegation. Rahul Gandhi Suggested Toxicology Test, Raut Says Raut said Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi met with him about 10 days ago and asked about his health. According to Raut, Gandhi suggested that he undergo a toxicology test to determine whether his body showed signs of exposure to a poisonous substance and whether anything harmful could have been added to his food. Raut said Gandhi expressed concern about the possibility of toxic exposure and told him that “anything could happen” to people like him while they were in prison. Raut also said Gandhi questioned why someone like him would develop such a serious illness. There is no publicly available information in the account about the results of any toxicology test, and no independent evidence has been presented linking Raut’s cancer to poisoning. Wrote About Jail Experience Raut was arrested in the Patra Chawl land case and spent 101 days in Arthur Road Jail before his release in November 2022. He later documented his prison experience in a book titled “Narkatla Swarg,” which translates roughly to “Heaven in Hell.” Raut has also claimed that the health of some other political leaders who have spent time in prison has deteriorated. His latest comments have renewed questions about his health and his time in custody, but the alleged “slow poisoning” remains an unverified claim based on Raut’s own statements. No findings from a toxicology examination or other independent evidence establishing such poisoning have been reported.