Bollywood star Sanjay Dutt today walked out of Yerawada jail a free man after being released 103 days ahead of his prison term and asserted that he is not a terrorist and wants to leave behind the bitter memories of conviction in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts.
"I am not a terrorist. I have been acquitted of charges under TADA and conspiracy. The Supreme Court had also acquitted me under (IPC) section 120-B of conspiracy and TADA. I got the sentence under the Arms Act," the 56-year-old actor said, addressing the media after returning to his Mumbai home.
"I request the media that whenever they write or mention anything about me, don't write 1993 blasts case before my name... I'm not into it," Dutt said.
According to ADG (Prisons) B K Upadhyay said the actor did not get any special treatment in prison. A relieved Dutt, clad in a blue shirt and jeans, stepped out of the Yerawada prison near Pune, lugging a huge bag.
As he walked out, Dutt turned back and saluted the tricolour atop the prison building and touched the soil before heading to the car in which his wife Manyata, twins Iqra and Shahraan and filmmaker-friend Rajkumar Hirani.
Before taking a chartered flight to Mumbai, Sanjay told reporters at the airport, "There is no easy walk to freedom, my friends". Dutt was set free after completing prison formalities at around 8.45 AM and came out escorted by police who had tightened security in the area.
Dutt, son of Indian film icons Sunil and Nargis Dutt, returned to his home at Bandra in Mumbai to a grand and emotional welcome by his family members, including two children, and sisters Namrata and Priya.
lanes leading to his house were lined with hoardings like "Welcome Back Sanju Baba", "Bandraites Welcome Back Bandra Boy Sanjay Dutt" with a picture of young Dutt with his mother Nargis.
Also, a photo of his late actor-politician father Sunil Dutt was put up at the gate of his building 'Imperial Heights' along with a message that read - "Dutt Sahab Amar Rahe". Fans were seen eagerly awaiting Dutt's return.
After landing in Mumbai, the actor visited the Siddhivinayak temple and his mother Nargis Dutt's grave. "She (Dutt's mother) passed away when we were very small. I went to seek her blessings as I am a free man today," he said.
The actor said, "For 23 years I have been waiting for this moment... For freedom. I did everything (followed the law). It's a feeling that will take a while to sink-in." "I miss my father (Sunil Dutt) today. I wish he was alive to see this day... If he would have been (alive), he would have been the happiest person," he said.
On the criticism over he being granted remission and thefurloughs availed by him while serving the sentence, Dutt said, "It's a misconception (that he got preferential treatment for leaves).
It has nothing to do with me being a celebrity as I was also not allowed to do many things. May be, it (celebrity status) went against me."
When asked about Judge P D Kode having absolved him of the terror tag and conspiracy in the blasts case, he said, "The court had said I am not a terrorist. That was a big thing. I wish my father was alive to hear this. Even the Supreme Court had endorsed it."
To a query on if his wife Manyata was his pillar of strength when he was serving the term, Sanjay termed her as his "best half and not better half".
"Whenever I was getting weak, she was my pillar of strength. I think she suffered more than me as she had to look after two kids, bring them up, take decisions," he said.
When asked about his earnings in jail, Dutt, who left with Rs 440 in his pocket, said, "like a good husband I gave all the money to my wife."
Soon after Dutt's release, several Bollywood celebrities and co-stars wished him peace and welcomed his return to the industry with a hope that he will reach great career heights in his second innings in B-town.
As far his future film projects are concerned, Bollywood filmmaker Rajkumar Hirani would collaborate with Dutt for the third instalment of "Munnabhai", besides the biopic that he is making on the actor.
Besides, "Oh My God" director Umesh Shukla is working on a socially relevant film in which he wants to cast the "Vaastav" star. Director Indra Kumar too has plans to work with Dutt in the third part of "Dhamaal".
Producer Vidhu Vinod Chopra had earlier revealed that he had several scripts for Dutt and would work with him soon.
The Bollywood star was arrested on April 19, 1993, for possession and destruction of an AK-56 rifle, which was a part of cache of arms and explosives which landed in India prior to the serial blasts of March 1993, in which 257 people were killed.
During the investigation and the marathon trial, he spent 18 months in jail. On July 31, 2007, the TADA court in Mumbai sentenced him to six years' rigorous imprisonment under the Arms Act.
In 2013, the Supreme Court upheld the ruling but reduced the sentence to five years following which he surrendered to serve the remainder of his sentence.
According to jail officials, Dutt was assigned cane work making of paper bags in his cell due to security reasons. He also played his part in entertaining the inmates doing the role of "Radio Jockey" for the inner circuit YCP radio, compering songs with the script.
