Legal labyrinth

“I know. Everyone keeps telling me to. I plan to on my birthday later this month.” In the latest turn of events in Sanjay Dutt’s long list of legal woes, earlier this week, the Maharashtra government justified its decision to grant the actor an early release from prison last year, following a petition filed as to whether the actor was given VIP privileges.

Dutt was a convict in Pune’s Yerwada Jail, following his five-year sentencing for illegal possession of arms dating back to the 1993 serial blasts that ripped through Mumbai and resulted in the death of 250 people.

The actor was freed in February 2016, eight months and 16 days before he completed his jail term.

The Maharashtra government reiterated in the official court filing that no special treatment was given to Dutt in the case. In an affidavit to the Bombay High Court, the government stated the actor showed “good behaviour and discipline”.

The court, which is hearing a petition, has asked the government to give details of the work Dutt did in prison. The government has two weeks to respond.

Following a long and drawn out legal battle, Dutt was cleared of conspiracy charges in the Mumbai blasts in 2007, but he was found guilty of illegal possession of an AK-56 rifle and a pistol; the actor maintains he acquired the weapons to protect his family. Dutt spent 18 months in prison, but he was released on bail until the Supreme Court put him back behind bars to serve out the remaining 42 months of his prison sentence.