The Maharashtra Government has ordered an inquiry into yet another 14-day furlough granted by jail authorities to Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt , who is currently serving a five-year jail term in Pune’s Yerwada prison for illegal possession of arms in connection with the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts.
“Maharashtra Home Ministry will initiate probe into the case of actor Sanjay Dutt’s furlough,” Minister of State for Home Ram Shinde said on Friday.
Mr. Dutt was released from prison on December 24 after his application for furlough, third since he was sentenced to jail in March 2013, was granted. He was first granted the furlough for 14 days in October 2013, which was extended by 14 more days for his leg surgery.
He was again granted a 30-day furlough last year in December and that too was extended twice on account of his wife Manyata Dutt’s illness.
Hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL), the Bombay High Court had questioned the eagerness shown by the government to grant actor’s requests which is not seen in case of other convicts. The centre too had demanded a report from the state government with respect to repeated furloughs granted to the actor.
Mr. Dutt has already served 18 months in jail as an undertrial and will have to spend three and half years more in jail.