Sanjay Dutt released from Yerawada Jail reaches home

Pune/Mumbai, Aug 23: Ater spending 22 days in prison, Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt this morning walked out of Yerwada Jail in Pune on interim bail.

The superstar greeted his fans as he emerged from the jail, three days after being granted interim bail by the Supreme Court in connection with the 1993 Mumbai serial bomb blasts case.

Crowds had been gathering outside the jail for the past two days to have a glimpse of their hero.

Dutt was accompanied by friend and fellow convict Yusuf Nalawala, who was also released, lawyer Satish Maneshinde and brother-in-law Kumar Gaurav.

Dutt drove away straight to the Pune Airport to catch a chartered flight to Mumbai while avoiding any interaction with the media.

Dutt arrived at his Bandra residence in Mumbai at 0815 hrs, where he was accorded an emotional welcome by his sisters Congress MP Priya Dutt and Namrata along with a crowd of fans anxiously waiting to see the star.

The city police have stepped up security outside his residence.

Dutt had been lodged in jail since August 1, after Special TADA Court Judge P D Kode sentenced him on July 31 to six years in prison under the Arms Act for illegal possession of weapons.

Dutt's lawyers had petitioned the apex court against his conviction and sought bail until the petition was ruled on.

The superstar and five others were granted bail by the apex court as they had not been given a copy of their sentences by the Mumbai court that convicted them.

The superstar was to be freed from the jail three days earlier but due to the delayed arrival of his papers in the jail, his release could take place only today.

--- UNI