Mumbai: Defending actor Sanjay Dutt’s early release, the Maharashtra government told the Bombay High Court on Monday that there was no special reduction of sentence granted and his release was as per the rules.
A division bench of Justices R.M. Savant and Sadhana Jadhav was hearing a public interest litigation filed by Pradeep Bhalekar, chairperson of Samajik Karyakarta Saurakhan Samiti, which held that the remission granted to Mr. Dutt is wrong and illegal.
Appearing for the petitioner, advocate Nitin Satpute said, “What is the good behaviour and conduct that has been held as a ground for granting him remission and reducing his sentence? What about all the other convicts especially in petty offences who are rotting in jail?”
The affidavit submitted by the Advocate General Ashutosh Kumbhakoni said that Mr. Dutt’s matter is concerned with the category of prisoners which provides for three days of remission per month for good behaviour, discipline and participation in institutional activities, and four days per month for performing the allotted work in accordance with prescribed standards. Citing the Maharashtra Prisons (Remission System) Rules, 1962, it said the accused is entitled to 114 days of remission a year, and in Mr. Dutt’s case, the total remission earned and sanctioned is 256 days.
