‘Guv has powers to pardon Sanjay Dutt’
23 March 2013 1:44 AM GMT
Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt, after getting the support of Press Council of India chairman Markandey Katju, also garnered support from a host of parliamentarians on Friday.
‘I have sent an appeal to the Maharashtra governor requesting him to pardon Sanjay Dutt. I have said this on humanitarian reasons,’ Katju said. ‘Sanjay was not a terrorist and was not found to be involved in a terror act but only guilty of keeping arms without licence,’ he added.
Apart from Katju, actor-turned-Samajwadi Party MP Jaya Bachchan said she would appeal to Maharashtra Governor K Sankarnarayanan to pardon Dutt, whose conviction was upheld by the apex court on Thursday. SP leader Ram Gopal Yadav said, ‘This is an ordinary case of Section 25 of the Arms Act, which provides for six months to one year imprisonment. The jail term is too long.’ Observing that the Supreme Court’s verdict is final, Tourism Minister Chiranjeevi said: ‘If he gets mercy, I will be the most happiest person. Sanjay is like my friend, I wish him all the best.’ Law Minister Ashwini Kumar, said, ‘Indian judiciary will render justice according to the law. It all depends upon the governor. Governor has powers to pardon. He can do what he feels is right.’
‘I have sent an appeal to the Maharashtra governor requesting him to pardon Sanjay Dutt. I have said this on humanitarian reasons,’ Katju said. ‘Sanjay was not a terrorist and was not found to be involved in a terror act but only guilty of keeping arms without licence,’ he added.
Apart from Katju, actor-turned-Samajwadi Party MP Jaya Bachchan said she would appeal to Maharashtra Governor K Sankarnarayanan to pardon Dutt, whose conviction was upheld by the apex court on Thursday. SP leader Ram Gopal Yadav said, ‘This is an ordinary case of Section 25 of the Arms Act, which provides for six months to one year imprisonment. The jail term is too long.’ Observing that the Supreme Court’s verdict is final, Tourism Minister Chiranjeevi said: ‘If he gets mercy, I will be the most happiest person. Sanjay is like my friend, I wish him all the best.’ Law Minister Ashwini Kumar, said, ‘Indian judiciary will render justice according to the law. It all depends upon the governor. Governor has powers to pardon. He can do what he feels is right.’
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