Sanjay Dutt released from Yerwada Jail

Mumbai, Aug 23: Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt was released from Pune's Yerwada Jail this morning. The actor, who spent three nights in the jail, was granted interim bail by the Supreme Court on Monday.

The release was delayed as a copy of the Supreme Court's order did not reach the jail.

Dressed in a white shirt and blue jeans, Dutt reached home, accompanied by his brother-in-law Kumar Gaurav, friend Yusuf Nalwala and lawyer Satish Maneshinde.

Dutt has been sentenced for six years of rigorous imprisonment by a TADA Court under the Arms Act at the height of the 1993 communal riots in Mumbai.

Five other convicts - - Sameer Hingora, Aziz Ahmed Mohammed Ahmed Sheikh, Ibrahim Musa Chauhan, Yusuf Mohsin Nulwalla and Zaibunnisa Anwar Kazi - - who also granted relief by the apex court, was released today.

The apex court granted bail to all the six on the condition that they will report to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) office in Mumbai every week and will not abuse their grant of liberty and bail.

The TADA court is expected to give a copy of its judgment by August 27. Dutt, after getting a copy of the TADA court's judgment, will have to surrender before police.

The Dutt family challenged the judgement given by a special TADA court in Mumbai for the illegal possession of arms on July 31.

In the petition, Dutt's lawyer said Dutt's conviction by a special TADA court was based on his confession that he had later retracted.

Dutt appealed that he should be granted bail because he was "not likely to commit any offence while on bail" and urged the court to award him some form of punishment other than jail.

Dutt has already spent nearly 16 months in prison before his release on bail in 1996.

ANI>