The Bombay High Court on Thursday said there has been no violation in releasing actor Sanjay Dutt from Yerwada Jail, after being convicted for his role in the 1993 bomb blasts case.
A Division Bench of Justice S.C. Dharmadhikari and Justice Bharati Dangre was hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by Pradeep Bhalekar, chairperson of the Samajik Karyakarta Saurakhan Samiti. The PIL states the remission granted to Dutt is “wrong and illegal”.
According to the Maharashtra Home Department, he was given remission (a reduction of sentence) on account of good conduct. During his time in jail, Mr. Dutt was granted parole for 90 days in December 2013, and later for 30 days.
The court said the allegations made by the petitioner are not substantiated by any material on record to show any illegality. The Bench said, “We find no illegality on the part of the State to release the actor. We found nothing contrary in the records submitted by the Home department and the explanation offered by the State government. No violations or abuse of discretionary powers were detected.”
The court, however, said the State must devise a scheme to ensure that all applications made by convicts for parole and furlough are decided “expeditiously and in a transparent manner”.
The Bench said, “It is important that the public or the inmates themselves do not get the impression that authorities grant favours in allowing parole and furlough.”
