DNA (January 7, 2016)


Minister for state (home) Ranjit Patil has signed the file allowing Dutt’s release, without penalising him for reporting late from his furlough in January 2015, sources in Patil’s office confirmed to dna.

Dutt was not found guilty of returning late to the prison. In fact, he was in constant touch with the authorities, waiting for a final order on his plea for extension of furlough by 15 days, claimed sources.”The state has accepted that the fault was at its end and Dutt has been exonerated of all charges,” it added.

In October last year, finding administrative delays and lapses in awarding punishment to Dutt by Yerwada prison authorities for reporting late from his furlough in January 2015, a sessions court had asked the home department to take a final call on the matter.

In January 2015, Yerwada prison had announced extension of Dutt’s sentence by four days for reporting late from his furlough. Later, however, it was found that the lapse was on the part of jail authorities that delayed the decision on extension of his furlough.

Dutt was awarded a five-year sentence by the Supreme Court for illegal possession of weapons in a case linked to the 1993 serial blasts that killed 257 people in Mumbai.