Sanjay Dutt's furlough period likely to be reduced for failing to return to jail on time

Sanjay Dutt’s furlough period is likely to be reduced because he reportedly overstayed his 14-day furlough in December 2014. [caption id=“attachment_2095039” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Sanjay Dutt’s furlough period is likely to be reduced. Reuters[/caption] Dutt, who is serving a sentence in the 1993 Mumbai blasts case, was supposed to return to the Yerwada central prison on 8 January. However, he returned to jail on 10 January, after his plea for extension of furlough on health reasons was rejected, reported The Times of India. “There was delay of two days in Dutt returning to the Yerwada central prison. As per the provisions of the prison manual, action taken will be taken against him,” a senior bureaucrat told TOI. The report also quoted the bureaucrat as saying that in such cases, “for one day, the furlough period is reduced by five days.” Earlier on 2 February, the Bombay High Court had sought to know the steps taken by Maharashtra government for modifying parole and furlough rules and asked the government to file an affidavit. The division bench headed by Justice VM Kanade was hearing a public interest litigation challenging frequent leaves of absence obtained by Sanjay Dutt. Public Prosecutor Sandeep Shinde had said a committee had been formed to review the rules. He himself was part of this committee but could not attend its last meeting, he had added. In February 2014, the Bombay High Court had commented on the diligence in granting the actor’s requests for furlough that was not visible in case of other convicts who applied for leave. Dutt was released on furlough in October 2013 for two weeks for health reasons, followed by a similar leave in December 2013, to tend to his ailing wife, Maanyata, attracting charges of favouritism. Sanjay Dutt was convicted in 2007 for illegal possession of an AK-56 assault rifle during the 1992-1993 Mumbai communal conflagration before the 12 March, 1993 serial bomb blasts in the city and sentenced to six years jail. The Supreme Court had upheld the conviction in 2013 but reduced the sentence to five years, less the time already served. Dutt surrendered on 16 May, 2013, and was moved to the high-security jail in Pune to serve the remainder of his 42-month sentence. (With inputs from PTI)