Maharashtra govt okay if court orders Sanjay Dutt back to jail

Shiv Kumar

Tribune News Service

Mumbai, July 27

The Maharashtra government told the Bombay High Court on Thursday that the state did not have any objection if the latter ordered actor Sanjay Dutt back to jail.

Advocate General Ashutosh Kumbhakoni told the bench of the High Court comprising RM Savant and Sadhana Jadhav that Dutt could be sent back to jail if there was any violation in the remission of his sentence.

The court is hearing a public interest litigation petition challenging the early release of Dutt from jail by eight months.

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The court had also asked the state government to explain the regular paroles and furloughs granted to Dutt while he was serving his sentence in Pune’s Yerwada jail. “Within two months from his surrender on May 16, 2013, how could authorities allow his parole and furlough leave application concurrently?” the court asked.

The state government told the court that the practice of granting parole to convicts was meant to motivate them into good behaviour in prison.

Earlier this month, the Maharashtra government presented an affidavit at the Bombay High Court explaining its decision to release Sanjay Dutt early from jail.

Dutt was sentenced to five years in jail for possessing and destroying an AK-56 assault rifle.