When Sanjay Dutt walks out of Yerwada jain on 7 March, 2016, he would have spent 132 days or 4 months 10 days out of prison. These reports also suggest that the release was advanced due to a likely remittance of 105 days “for good behaviour during his stay at Yerwada jail.”
Dutt had surrendered in May 2013 following a Supreme Court verdict confirming his conviction. The 18 months that Dutt had earlier spent in jail were taken into account and he was to spend another 42 months.
In October 2013, he was out on furlough for 14 days, which was extended by a fortnight. In January 2014, a 30-day parole was extended by another 30 days. In December 2014, he was granted another 14-day furlough. He received another 30-day furlough in August 2015.
Now that’s 132 days, or nearly 14 percent of time served so far, on furlough to attend to his wife’s health, daughter’s nose operation and various other reasons. He also managed to squeeze in some time to attend a special screening of PK.
Does it matter to us?
Consider this.
68 percent of all inmates in the 1,387 jails in the country are undertrials.
Over 40 percent of all undertrials remain in jail for more than six months before being released on bail.
The number of undertrials is increasing annually.
A large number of these undertrials remain in jails due to their inability to secure bail and the conditions remain so terrible that 1,702 inmates died in jails due to various reasons, of which 1,507 were recorded as natural deaths, according to National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data.
Do understand, these are people who were never even convicted, but remained charged with crimes.
By all means, allow Dutt’s time to be reduced, but enable the system to provide equitable opportunity and justice to the rest as well.
Ask yourself, how many other prisoners would get a leeway when their daughters have a surgery or wife is unwell or business is suffering?
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