Should Sanjay Dutt Be Pardoned?


Dutt has also received support from numerous public figures including Press Council of India chairman Markandey Katju.  Katju sought pardon for Dutt under Article 161 of the Constitution saying that he had not been found guilty of having played a role in the 1993 blasts and had suffered a lot.

While actor-turned MP Jaya Bachchan and Actor-politician Shatrughan Sinha too called for pardoning Dutt. Bachchan said that "He (Dutt) has already been punished enough. Twenty years is almost like life imprisonment."

On the other hand Shiv Sena had opposed the move to pardon the Bollywood actor stating that it would send a wrong message to the society.

Incidentally, the then Congress MP Sunil Dutt and father of Sanjay, had turned up to Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray to ensure that his actor son got some relief after he was arrested and jailed under the stringent Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act also known as TADA for possessing illegal weapons.

Whether Sanjay Dutt should be pardoned is a question that will receive different responses, however only time can tell if fate has something else in store for the Khalnayak.

(With agency inputs)