The Hindu : Front Page : Sanjay Dutt returns home to a warm welcome

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Friday, Nov 30, 2007
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Sanjay Dutt returns home to a warm welcome

Special Correspondent

“Let me be with my family and take some rest”; asks media to wait for a few days

— Photo: PTI

Home at last: Actor Sanjay Dutt coming out of the Yerwada jail in Pune on Thursday.

MUMBAI: Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt, who was released from Pune’s Yerawada jail on bail, came home to a tumultuous welcome on Thursday.

Dutt, convicted and sentenced to six-year rigorous imprisonment under the Arms Act in the Mumbai serial blasts case, had been lodged in the jail since October 22.

His lawyer Satish Maneshinde told journalists that the actor flew in a private aircraft, and drove straight to his house at Bandra here.

A group of supporters distributed sweets and burst crackers before his arrival, accompanied by Yusuf Nulwala who was also released on bail. A huge media contingent had been waiting there since early morning.

Dutt’s friends and relatives, including brothers-in-law Kumar Gaurav and Owen Roncon, and Maharashtra Minister of State for Labour Baba Siddiqui were there to greet him.

Mr. Roncon, Priya Dutt’s husband, told the media earlier that the actor had not made any special request and he just wanted to eat home cooked food and relax.

Later, speaking briefly to the media, the actor thanked his senior advocates Fali Nariman, V.R. Manohar and Satish Maneshinde and all his supporters.

As the journalists continued to ask questions, he asked them to wait for a few days. “Let me be with my family and take some rest,” he said.

“Do you want to see Munnabhai part three or no,” he asked when the questions did not stop.

Bollywood producers heaved a sigh of relief as Dutt has to complete some films.

Gets Rs. 38.25 as wages for labour

PTI reports from Pune:

Dutt tried his hand at weaving bamboo chairs during his 37-day second stay in the Yerawada jail. A prison official recorded the hours of manual labour put in by Sanjay Dutt which earned him wages totalling Rs 38.25.

He belonged to the category of ‘unskilled worker.’ in the sprawling prison that houses around 3,000 convicts — ironical for an actor enjoying top billing in Bollywood, with an estimated Rs 200 crore film business riding on him.

A senior prison official told PTI that Dutt carried on with cane weaving separately in his barrack number three, as his high-profile convict status did not allow him to mix with other inmates doing their shifts.

The actor performed pooja regularly in the mornings.

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