After four weeks` parole, Sanjay Dutt returns to jail

Zee Media Bureau Pune: Sanjay Dutt returned to Yerawada Central Jail Wednesday morning at the end of his four-week-long medical parole. The convicted Bollywood actor was released on a fortnight-long medical parole from the high-security prison on October 1, where he is serving the remainder of his 42-month-long sentence. Later, he was granted another fortnight`s extension which ended Wednesday. Dutt will spend the festival of Diwali in the jail with other inmates. Since his release on parole, there had been widespread speculations that he may be granted remission of sentence or a pardon. However, last Friday, Maharashtra Home Minister R.R. Patil sought to scotch all such rumours and said he has not received any communication from the central government to this effect. Besides, Patil pointed out that even the actor`s family members, who include his sister and Congress MP Priya Dutt, have not made any such request. The state unit of Bharatiya Janata Party had already expressed its strong opposition to any proposal to grant pardon to the actor as it could send wrong signal in society and encourage other convicts to seek pardon. Dutt was sentenced to five years` jail for illegal possession of firearms from one of the consignments that landed ahead of the March 12, 1993 serial blasts in Mumbai. Since May 16 this year, he is serving the remaining 42 months of his term at YCJ, making paper bags which are sold outside through NGOs. (With IANS inputs)