Sanjay Dutt's pardon plea rejected again

Sanjay DuttA plea by former Supreme Court judge Markandey Katju to waive off the remaining jail term of actor Sanjay Dutt, convicted in 1993 Bombay serial blasts case, has been rejected by the governor of Maharashtra.

A plea by former Supreme Court judge Markandey Katju to waive off the remaining jail term of actor Sanjay Dutt, convicted in 1993 Bombay serial blasts case, has been rejected by the governor of Maharashtra.
The state home department recommended to governor Chennamaneni Vidyasagar Rao to turn down the plea as he had been convicted by the apex court. Granting pardon to the high-profile actor would set a bad precedent, the government told the governor.
Katju had in 2013 filed a plea seeking pardon for Sanjay, as the only charge on which he had been found guilty was one of possessing a banned weapon. "I am not appealing that Sanjay Dutt should be pardoned because he is a celebrity," Katju had written in his plea. "I am also appealing for pardon to Zaibunnasa Kazi, a co-accused who is not a celebrity."
While the Supreme Court was correct in convicting him for possessing an illegal weapon, Sanjay had 'suffered enough' after spending 18 months in a jail before the apex court order, he said. It was "a fit case for pardon."
The actor, son of the late Bollywood couple Sunil and Nargis Dutt, had been convicted by the Supreme Court in 2013 under the Arms Act for illegally possessing weapons. He had been sentenced to six years in jail, but since he had spent 18 months behind bars earlier, he is currently serving a 42-month sentence and will be set free in February 2016.
The controversial actor though has been out on parole and furlough many times, drawing a lot of criticism. He has been out of the Yerawada jail in Pune four times - twice each on parole and on furlough - for a total of nearly 120 days. After a month-long furlough in October 2013, he was out for nearly two months on parole in January 2014. Later that year, he was given another 14-day furlough. Sanjay is also out on furlough since August 27.
Sanjay was found guilty in the 1993 Bombay serial blasts case of possessing illegal weapons. In 2007, he was cleared of conspiracy charges, but was convicted for possessing an AK-56 rifle and a pistol. The actor had claimed that he had the illegal weapons to protect his family during the Bombay riots.

• India