Sanjay Dutt shifted to Pune's Yerwada Jail

Almost a week after he surrendered, Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt was shifted out of Mumbai's Arthur Road Jail and sent to Pune's Yerwada prison late last night.

He will spend the next 42 months here to complete his jail term.

Dutt, who has been convicted in the 1993 Mumbai blasts case for illegal possession of weapons, is no stranger to the Pune prison. He has served time twice here.

Dutt had earlier pleaded in court that he be allowed to surrender directly at the Yerwada jail as he feared a threat to his life from fundamentalist groups. But later he withdrew his plea, without giving reasons.

On May 10, the Supreme Court had rejected Dutt's plea seeking review its March 21 judgement upholding his conviction under the Arms Act and sentencing him to five years in jail in the arms case, saying there is no merit in it.

The apex court, which had upheld the death sentence of Yakub Abdul Razak Memon, a key conspirator with Dawood Ibrahim in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts, ordered that Dutt return to jail to serve three-and-a-half years sentence for possessing illegal arms.

A total of 257 persons were killed and 713 others injured when a series 13 coordinated explosions shattered the metropolis on March 12, 1993.

The blasts occurred at 12 places, including Bombay Stock Exchange building, Air-India Building at Nariman Point, at Worli opposite Century Bazaar, Hotels Sea Rock and Juhu Centaur.