Actor Sanjay Dutt, a convict in the 1993 Mumbai bomb blast case, who is now on parole to attend to his ailing wife Manyata, has sought an extension. “We are waiting for the police report on the issue. I will take a decision only after that,” Prabhakar Deshmukh, Pune Divisional Commissioner, told The Hindu on Saturday.
According to hospital sources in the city, Manyata has developed some complications, but her doctor refused to speak on the issue. “We will issue a press release soon after she is on the path to recovery. Right now, I have been instructed not to divulge any details of her medical condition. The last time we had spoken to the media, she was stressed about it. She has requested everyone to respect her privacy” said Dr. Ajay Chaugule.
Mr. Dutt was released on a month-long parole on December 21 last, on his application that his wife was suffering from a tumour in the liver. But the administration’s decision to grant him parole was met with a lot of criticism, after pictures showing Manyata attending social events were flashed in the media.
The Bharatiya Janata Party, which was in the forefront of the attack on government then, has again opposed Mr. Dutt’s plea for parole extension. “Everyone should be equal in the eyes of law. But Sanjay Dutt, a convict in the dastardly bomb blasts, gets VIP treatment only because of his minority connections,” Maharashtra BJP spokesman Madhav Bhandari, told The Hindu .
Meanwhile, Mujeeb Parkar, another accused in the 1993 blasts case who was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment by a Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act court, was recently granted a month-long parole by the Pune Divisional Commissioner.
