Sanjay Dutt gets bail, may be released tomorrow

A smile was the only reaction Sanjay Dutt reportedly displayed when a jail staffer conveyed the news flash to him about his interim bail granted by the Supreme court today, sources said.

The Munnabhai of the silver screen, who assumed a new identity Qaidi No C-15170 after he was lodged in Yeravada Central Prison on August 2 following his conviction by a special TADA court for the 1993 serial bomb blasts, is said to be trying his hand at weaving bamboo chairs under the cane work category of manual labour.

"He picked it up in just one day, and has been doing it all right," a jail official said on the condition of anonymity.

Dutt's release on bail would not be given effect on the basis of any faxed copy of the Supreme court order. The actor would be set free only after the TADA Court, headed by Justice Kode, writes to Yeravada prison authorities on perusal of the original bail order produced before him, official sources added.

The sources, however, said the whole process would, in all probability, spill over to tomorrow.

Updated at 1345 hrs: Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt is expected to be released from Yeravada jail tomorrow after the Supreme Court order granting him bail reaches the prison authorities here.

The copy of the apex court order will be routed through the TADA court in Mumbai before it can be handed over to the jail authorities here, Satish Mathur, IG Prisons, Maharashtra told PTI.

Under these circumstances, the actor, who has served about three weeks of his six-year rigorous imprisonment sentence awarded by the TADA court in the Mumbai blasts case, is likely to walk out of jail only tomorrow.

Dutt was brought here on the night of August 2 from Mumbai's Arthur Road jail which houses only under-trials. He is said to be doing "cane work" assigned to him a week back after he underwent a routine medical check-up.

Update at 1310 hrs:  The Supreme Court today granted interim bail to Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt, who has been sentenced to six years imprisonment by the TADA court in connection with the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case.

A Bench headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan enlarged Dutt on bail till the TADA court in Mumbai provided him with a copy of the judgement.

The Bench said immediately after getting the copy of the judgement, the Bollywood actor will have to surrender.

The court also said that Dutt will also have to appear once in a week before the nearest local police station.

After getting the copy of the judgement, he can apply for regular bail.

While providing relief to Dutt, the court took into consideration that he was on bail since October 16, 1995 till July 31, 2007 the day, he was sentenced to six-year jail term.

The court said that the passport of Dutt will remain with the trial court and he will not leave the country without its permission.