Sanjay Dutt never sought pardon: lawyers

Sanjay Dutt never applied for a pardon plea, which was rejected by Maharashtra Governor C.V. Rao, the jailed actor's lawyers said on Friday.

Advocates Hitesh Jain and Subhash Jadhav said in a joint statement that the news about the governor turning down the actor's plea was "purely based on the application made by Justice Markandey Katju seeking pardon for Dutt and other convicts".

The "PK" actor is on furlough since August 27 for his daughter's medical problems.

"No such application for grant of pardon was ever made by Dutt or his family members to the governor. Further, Dutt or his family members never approached Justice Katju for making an application on behalf of Dutt," the statement read.

Dutt was convicted for his role in the March 1993 Mumbai serial blasts.

After his arrest in 1996, Dutt spent 18 months in jail before getting bail. In 2013 he was sentenced to five years imprisonment and was transferred to the Yerawada Central Jail in Pune for serving the remaining prison term of 42 months.

According to current indications, Dutt is likely to complete his sentence and walk out of prison by the year-end or early 2016.

The latest statement on the actor's behalf also emphasised that he will be a "free man soon".

"Justice Katju has suo motto made this application for pardon not only for Dutt but also for other convicts (elderly co-convict Zaibunissa Kazi). It is imperative to note that Dutt has almost undergone his maximum imprisonment under the Arms Act for which he was convicted and shall be a free man soon."