PIL questions repeated parole extensions to Sanjay Dutt

A public interest litigation (PIL) has been files in the Bombay high court challenging the extension of parole granted to actor Sanjay Dutt, who's been convicted in the 1993 bomb blasts case, alleging abuse of power by the Pune jail superintendent and the divisional commissioner.

Dutt, who is currently serving a five-year sentence, has been out on parole since last December. Last month, his parole was extended for a month and he was to return to jail on February 21. He, however, applied for another month's extension citing his wife's ill-health, and it was granted on Monday by the Pune divisional commissioner. Dutt now has to return only on March 21.

Advocate Tushar Pabale, who filed the PIL, says the Pune jail superintendent and the divisional commissioner has abused their discretionary powers in granting Dutt extension. He has sought framing of guidelines for considering parole and furlough applications of convicts.

His advocate, Nikhil Chaudhari, said the petitioner had also sought information on the number of applications the authorities had received from convicts seeking parole or furlough. "Details have been sought on how many applicants were granted/rejected parole, and how many times extension was granted as in the case of Sanjay Dutt (three times)," said Chaudhari.

The petition came up before a division bench of Justices N H Patil and V L Achliya, and will now be heard on February 25.