ON MARCH 21, when Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt is due to return to Yerawada Central jail, he would have spent 118 of his 305 days of imprisonment ? almost 40 per cent of the time he is supposed to serve ? either on furlough for the treatment of his leg pain or on parole sought citing his wife Manyata?s illness.
This apparent leniency of the state government came in for flak from the Bombay High Court Tuesday which rapped the government for showing ?extra diligence? in the case and discriminating between Dutt and other convicts.
The court also directed the state?s chief secretary to form a committee comprising senior home, law and judiciary department officials, representatives of jail administration and other competent officers to suggest amendments to the rules and procedure related to screening of parole and furlough applications.
?This type of diligence is not shown for all convicts. Why does the state government adopt a casual approach when the convict is a common man? We have seen in many cases convicts approach us stating their parole and furlough applications are not decided for months together and then we have to interfere and direct for their pleas to be processed,? a division bench of justices N H Patil and V L Achliya said while hearing a PIL against extension of parole to Dutt.
Dutt?s conviction for possession of arms in connection with the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case was upheld by the Supreme Court in March last year and he was lodged in Yerawada in May to serve the rest of his five-year sentence as he had spent 18 months in custody earlier.
In the last week of September, he was granted a 14-day furlough which he had sought to treat his leg pain. This was extended for another 14 days.
In December, he was granted parole, which was extended once in January. Dutt again applied to the divisional commissioner asking for another one-month extension and this was granted a week back.
?On March 21, when Dutt comes back, he would have spent 118 days out of jail from the 305 days from May last year. He can again apply for furlough and parole from May this year, which we think he will. Of these 118 days, 14 days of the extended parole will not be counted in his sentence and he will have to serve it later,? said a senior prisons department officer.
?Several other inmates, including those serving for even very serious crimes, are granted paroles and subsequent extensions. It?s just that his case has attracted attention as he is a celebrity,? the officer said.
Asked about the Union home ministry seeking a report on Dutt?s parole, another prisons department officer said, ?We know for sure the papers have moved faster in this case because there has been political interference at certain stages in the procedure. Otherwise, the process cannot be so smooth.?
However, Rajendra Dhamane, DIG in the prisons department, defended the decision.
?The paroles are granted by the divisional commissioner. All procedures have been followed from our side in granting the furlough,? he said. – with PTI inputs
