Should Sanjay Dutt Be Pardoned?


Bangalore: The recent news of Sanjay Dutt being sentenced to five years in prison by the Supreme Court in relation with the 1993 Mumbai blasts has shocked the entire nation. However, Dutt has received support from the entire film industry and some political leaders and political parties.

Expelled Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh and Lok Sabha MP from Rampur Jaya Prada met Maharashtra governor K Sankaranarayanan, to seek pardon for the actor. Actor-turned-politician, Jaya Prada, had earlier said she was "heart broken" at the news of Sanjay Dutt's jail term pronounced by the Supreme Court and called him an "innocent person", who had been caught wrongly.

"He is an innocent person. It is very unfortunate. Knowingly or unknowingly, it has been written in his fate that he has to struggle like this. Particularly for Sanjay Dutt, if you see the background of his family and all. His father Sunil Dutt served a lot for the country and even in politics he had a very good name. And knowing his nature and character as a great father, and his son, he also...innocently maybe...has done something," Jaya Prada had said.

Dutt, who was convicted under the Arms Act for illegally possessing weapons, had been awarded six years imprisonment by the TADA (Terrorists and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act) court. However, the apex court reduced the sentence from six years to five years and Dutt will have to spend three-and-a-half years in jail.

(With agency inputs)