PUNE/MUMBAI: After 23 days in prison, Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt, sentenced to six years of imprisonment in the 1993 Mumbai blasts case, on Thursday walked free from a Pune jail on an interim bail.

Dutt's freedom may be short-lived as the actor will have to return to the jail once the November 28, 2006 judgement of the TADA court convicting him under the Arms Act is made available to him.

The actor, accompanied by his lawyer Satish Maneshinde and fellow convict Yusuf Nulwala, arrived at Mumbai by a chartered flight and reached his house at 8.25 am to an emotional welcome by his MP sister Priya Dutt, other close relatives and friends.

His sister Namrata, brothers-in-law Kumar Gaurav and Owen Roncon, film producer Bunti Wallia, close friend and MLA Baba Siddiqui and others were present to greet him at the entrance of the building.

With his hair cut short and beard grown, Dutt, clad in a blue jeans and white shirt, was hugged by all of them upon getting out of the car.

Seeing mediapersons perched on the fence of an adjoining building and calling him, Sanjay smiled at them and said "not now, later," before entering the building.

The Supreme Court granted an interim bail to the actor four days ago. A TADA court in Mumbai, which convicted him, yesterday issued the order for Dutt's release from Yerawada jail in Pune after his lawyers completed legal formalities.

Maneshinde told reporters that right now, Dutt wants to spend time with his family and other issues, like whether he will be starting work on his films, would be decided later.

"The most important thing is to spend time with his family which he is doing," he said.

Mumbai, Aug 07: Actor Sanjay Dutt has moved Supreme Court against his conviction by the Tada court and applied for bail. Dutt`s lawyer Satish Maneshinde filed the bail plea on Tuesday after meeting the actor in Pune and securing his signature on a set of papers which is now in Delhi.

The court will also be moved against the six-year sentence awarded to the actor on 31st July, in the Mumbai serial blasts case.

His lawyers have applied for bail on the ground that Sanjay Dutt had himself confessed that he was a part of a party hosted by Dawood Ibrahim in Dubai. And also he was a close acquaintance of Anees Ibrahim.

The CBI has stated that Dutt was not immature and was aware of what he was doing and said that it was opposing his bail plea.

Media reports state that not only has Dutt apllied for bail but he was also in fact challenging the verdict of the TADA court. His sister Congress politician Priya Dutt has been lobbying hard with the huge battery of lawyers that she has to help Dutt.

The argument put forward in favour of his bail application was also that he had never misused his bail.

However a final decision is yet to be taken on this.

Dutt was sentenced to six years` rigorous imprisonment for being in possession of `dangerous weapons` in the 1993 Mumbai bombings case last week.

He was also fined Rs 25,000 by the special anti-terror TADA court, conducting the trial into the serial blasts that killed 257 people and injured many hundreds.


Sanjay Dutt may be a carpenter in jail

It may be a far cry from the glitz and glamour of Bollywood for actor Sanjay Dutt if he opts for carpentry as part of the rigorous imprisonment handed out to him for his conviction in 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case.

A senior jail official said carpentry is one of the options available to Dutt but no decision has so far been taken. The decision would be determined by the aptitude of the actor, he added.

However, sources said Dutt may be asked to make cane furnitures. Dutt, one of the highest-paid stars of Bollywood, may get Rs 40 per day for seven-hour hard work in the jail.

On his day of reckoning, actor Sanjay Dutt got an emotional send-off from his family.

When he walked into court, it was to close the chapter on the 1993 blasts trial, one of the longest in Indian history.

And it would also end the suspense: Would Sanjay who has been convicted of possessing weapons given to him by the underworld in 1993, be sent to jail? Or would the judge accept Sanjay's plea to be let off on good behaviour?

The judge who clearly has a sense of history had ensured that the answers won't be long coming.

It was the first time Special Judge P D Kode had allowed cell phones inside the court.

And the roughly two and a half hours that unfolded from here on was relayed out SMS by SMS live on national television.

At first, when the hearing began the news emerging seemed positive for Sanjay.

Rusi Mulla, one of those who helped him dispose the weapons was let off under the Probation of Offenders Act, which allows the accused to be be let off for good behaviour.

But when it was Sanjay's turn, the Judge had much stronger words.

The Judge began by noting a part of Sanjay's confession, where Sanjay said he had been introduced to Dawood in a film party in Dubai.

The Judge then told Sanjay that not only did he commit an offence, but by making someone else like Nulwala destroy the weapon, he made him an offender as well.

In 1992 he acquired a pistol, then in 1993 he got an AK 56. He committed offences under compulsive circumstances, showing scant respect for the law.

Hence, there was no probation granted. Instead, there was six-years in jail for Sanjay Dutt.

A stunned Sanjay asked the court for time to surrender. ''I have spent more time in jail than I have with my family. Please have faith. My sister is pregnant. I honestly thought I would get the benefit of probation. I have to wind up a few things,'' he told the judge.

But Judge Kode rejected Dutt's plea. Their exchange could almost be described as a conversation between friends.

Dutt: I honestly thought I would get the benefit of probation. I have to wind up a few things.

Judge Kode: Don't get upset. I have got a duty to do. This is not the final court.

Dutt: You are like family to us.

Judge Kode:This is a momentary thing. You can appeal in a higher court.

Judge Kode: Don't get perturbed by this order.

Dutt: I am very tired.

Judge Kode: You have a long way to go in your career. You are the number one in your field. Don't lose faith in yourself.



Sanjay's lawyers say they will move the Supreme Court for bail immediately. But that will take time.

''My client was prepared for this judgement. Either he could have got a probation or been sentenced. He wasn't shocked. He has accepted the verdict with a heavy heart. Sanjay Dutt will exercise his option and he will appeal at a higher court.

Judge has given no weightage on Sanjay Dutt's celebrity status that was people's expectation,'' said Satish Manshinde, Sanjay Dutt's lawyer.

For the moment, one of India's most loved film stars will find himself back in a temporary home he would rather have forgotten: the Arthur Road prison.

And for a man who's family is rooted in the Congress Party there's public support from none other than the Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Priyaranjan Dasmunsi who said on Tuesday that all efforts should be made to enable Sanjay Dutt to get ''relief'' from the highest judiciary.

Expressing his ''deep shock and surprise'' on the award of jail term to Dutt, he said in a press release ''he believes in the judiciary but feels that Sanjay Dutt had already suffered enough''.

Kode in focus

Apart from Sanjay Dutt, the other man who has been the big focus during this long trial has been Judge Kode himself.

He reportedly did not miss a single day of work till June this year, when he slipped and fractured his arm. He also became the only judge to get an insurance cover of Rs 25 lakh in view of the sensitivity of the case.

He also enjoys Z-category security cover.