 "Sanjay Dutt walks out a free man")
Putting behind the torrid times since his conviction in the 1993 Mumbai blasts case, Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt walked out a free man on Thursday from the the Yerawada Central prison here, after being granted remission in his five-year sentence.
The 56-year-old actor, clad in a blue shirt and jeans, stepped out and walked briskly toward a waiting car outside the prison, waving to onlookers.
Looking in good health, he enthusiastically carried in his hands a khaki bag containing his belongings and a green coloured file that apparently contained his prison record.
In full media glare, he then turned back and saluted the Tricolour atop the prison building and bent to touch the soil.
His wife Maanyata and friend and producer of blockbuster Munnabhai Rajkumar Hirani were waiting for him inside the car. He then drove to Pune airport to take an onward chartered flight to Mumbai.
Speaking to reporters outside the Pune airport, the actor said, “There are no easy walk to freedom my friends.”
Dutt was set free after completing prison formalities at around 8.45 am and came out escorted by police which had tightened security in the area.
He completed the remaining 42-months of his five year sentence in Yerawada prison here, as he had already spent 18 months in Mumbai's Arthur road jail as an under-trial.
Controversies continued to dog him for his leave of parole and furlough as his critics and detractors alleged that the actor had been given "special treatment" that led to his remission and a curtailed stay in prison.
Before Dutt's release this morning, a handful of protesters too had raised slogans in front of the prison protesting alleged the preferential treatment meted out to him by the authorities.
Prison authorities and his lawyers, however, refuted the allegations saying that his remission of 144 days and his parole leave was in accordance with jail manual and prescribed rules.
Back home in Mumbai, his residence in suburban Bandra was decorated with flowers to welcome him after his visit to the Siddhivinayak Temple and his mother's grave at Marine Lines in South Mumbai. Lanes leading to his house were lined with hoardings like ‘Welcome Back Sanju Baba’, ‘Bandraites Welcome Back Bandra Boy Sanjay Dutt’ with a picture of young Dutt with mother Nargis.
Soon after Dutt's release, several Bollywood celebrities and co-stars including Juhi Chawla, Gracy Singh, Mahesh Bhatt and Subhash Ghai wished him peace and welcomed his return to the industry with a hope that he will reach great career heights in his second innings in Bollywood.
As far his future film projects are concerned, Bollywood filmmaker Rajkumar Hirani would collaborate with Dutt for the third installment of Munnabhai, besides a biopic that he is making on the actor.
Besides, Oh My God director Umesh Shukla is working on a socially relevant film in Dutt. Director Indra Kumar too has plans to work with Dutt in the third part of Dhamaal.
Producer Vidhu Vinod Chopra had earlier revealed that he had several scripts for Dutt and would work with him soon.
In Dutt's absence, his wife Manyata had apparently signed Prabhu Deva to direct a film for his production house. Also the release date of the film "Hasmukh Pigal Gaya", that Dutt is producing will be finalised soon as he is out of prison now.
There have been reports that Dutt's director friend Sanjay Gupta too wants to work with him.
The Bollywood star was arrested on April 19, 1993, for possession and destruction of an AK-56 rifle, which was a part of cache of arms and explosives which landed in India prior to the serial blasts of March 1993.
During the investigation and the marathon trial, he spent 18 months in jail. On July 31, 2007, the TADA court in Mumbai sentenced him to six years' rigorous imprisonment under the Arms Act. In 2013, the Supreme Court upheld the ruling but reduced the sentence to five years following which he surrendered to serve the remainder of his sentence.
According to jail officials, Dutt was assigned cane work making of paper bags in his cell due to security reasons.
Also, Dutt played his part in entertaining the inmates doing the role of "Radio Jockey" for the inner circuit YCP radio, compering songs with the script.
His release today is 103 days ahead of the end of his full prison term.
The 56-year-old actor, clad in a blue shirt and jeans, stepped out and walked briskly toward a waiting car outside the prison, waving to onlookers.
Looking in good health, he enthusiastically carried in his hands a khaki bag containing his belongings and a green coloured file that apparently contained his prison record.
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His wife Maanyata and friend and producer of blockbuster Munnabhai Rajkumar Hirani were waiting for him inside the car. He then drove to Pune airport to take an onward chartered flight to Mumbai.
Speaking to reporters outside the Pune airport, the actor said, “There are no easy walk to freedom my friends.”
Dutt was set free after completing prison formalities at around 8.45 am and came out escorted by police which had tightened security in the area.
He completed the remaining 42-months of his five year sentence in Yerawada prison here, as he had already spent 18 months in Mumbai's Arthur road jail as an under-trial.
Controversies continued to dog him for his leave of parole and furlough as his critics and detractors alleged that the actor had been given "special treatment" that led to his remission and a curtailed stay in prison.
Before Dutt's release this morning, a handful of protesters too had raised slogans in front of the prison protesting alleged the preferential treatment meted out to him by the authorities.
Prison authorities and his lawyers, however, refuted the allegations saying that his remission of 144 days and his parole leave was in accordance with jail manual and prescribed rules.
Back home in Mumbai, his residence in suburban Bandra was decorated with flowers to welcome him after his visit to the Siddhivinayak Temple and his mother's grave at Marine Lines in South Mumbai. Lanes leading to his house were lined with hoardings like ‘Welcome Back Sanju Baba’, ‘Bandraites Welcome Back Bandra Boy Sanjay Dutt’ with a picture of young Dutt with mother Nargis.
Soon after Dutt's release, several Bollywood celebrities and co-stars including Juhi Chawla, Gracy Singh, Mahesh Bhatt and Subhash Ghai wished him peace and welcomed his return to the industry with a hope that he will reach great career heights in his second innings in Bollywood.
As far his future film projects are concerned, Bollywood filmmaker Rajkumar Hirani would collaborate with Dutt for the third installment of Munnabhai, besides a biopic that he is making on the actor.
Besides, Oh My God director Umesh Shukla is working on a socially relevant film in Dutt. Director Indra Kumar too has plans to work with Dutt in the third part of Dhamaal.
Producer Vidhu Vinod Chopra had earlier revealed that he had several scripts for Dutt and would work with him soon.
In Dutt's absence, his wife Manyata had apparently signed Prabhu Deva to direct a film for his production house. Also the release date of the film "Hasmukh Pigal Gaya", that Dutt is producing will be finalised soon as he is out of prison now.
There have been reports that Dutt's director friend Sanjay Gupta too wants to work with him.
The Bollywood star was arrested on April 19, 1993, for possession and destruction of an AK-56 rifle, which was a part of cache of arms and explosives which landed in India prior to the serial blasts of March 1993.
During the investigation and the marathon trial, he spent 18 months in jail. On July 31, 2007, the TADA court in Mumbai sentenced him to six years' rigorous imprisonment under the Arms Act. In 2013, the Supreme Court upheld the ruling but reduced the sentence to five years following which he surrendered to serve the remainder of his sentence.
According to jail officials, Dutt was assigned cane work making of paper bags in his cell due to security reasons.
Also, Dutt played his part in entertaining the inmates doing the role of "Radio Jockey" for the inner circuit YCP radio, compering songs with the script.
His release today is 103 days ahead of the end of his full prison term.