Sanjay Dutt case: Cong not to interfere, BJP says verdict be adhered

New Delhi: Actor Sanjay Dutt`s remarks that he will not seek pardon and surrender soon drew varied reactions from political parties with the Congress saying it would not like to interfere in a legal matter while the BJP said he should follow the court verdict.

"We do not interfere in any legal matter of any sort whether it is by intervention or by remarks. The court delivers judgements and whatever judgement the courts deliver, we respect that," Congress spokesperson Rashid Alvi told reporters. He said the Congress does not comment on such matters and never "interferes or intervenes" in legal proceedings in any manner. BJP MP Balbir Punj said the law must be allowed to take its own course in Dutt`s case. "In fact, the court has been soft on Dutt and whatsoever punishment has been given to him as a law abiding citizen, he must respect the court`s judgement," Punj said. Janata Party president Subramanian Swamy said it would be a "very sensible thing" for Dutt to serve his sentence. "He has to undergo the sentence for confabulating and mixing with those Indians know to be anti-India like Dawood Ibrahim, Chota Shakeel, Anees Ibrahim...So he has to undergo the sentence," Swamy said. He maintained that it was not a big sentence. "It is only three and a half years. He can do many good things in jail.... Pardon is impossible," Swamy said. The Bollywood actor, who has been ordered by the Supreme Court to return to jail to complete a five year sentence in the 1993 Mumbai blasts case, today said he has not sought any pardon and will surrender in time. Amid a growing clamour for his clemency, the 53-year-old said, "All I can tell you is I have not applied for pardon," during his interaction with the press in Mumbai. As Dutt has already served 18 months in jail, he would have to undergo imprisonment for three-and-a-half-years. PTI