PTI

Pune, Aug 9: Actor Sanjay Dutt, sentenced to six-year rigorous imprisonment in 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case, has been given "manual hard work" at Yerawada Central jail but he expressed keenness for painting, official sources said.

Though the nature of the job given to Dutt was not disclosed, the sources said it could be anything under work options available to convicts such as carpentry (which includes cane work), textile, painting, bakery, printing press, leather work, farming, powerloom/handloom, motor garage and kitchen in the jail industry.

The 48-year-old actor, convicted under the Arms Act for possessing illegal weapons, is said to have expressed his desire to get involved in painting work, an official source told PTI on condition of anonymity.

"It is not that a convict serving rigorous imprisonment at Yerawada jail is expected to stick to just one job. He can ask for a change in work as per his inclination and aptitude," the sources noted.

The prisoners get their prescribed allowance under different work categories.

The prison, housing around 3,000 inmates, gets an annual revenue of over Rs one crore by way of the sale of various products made available through its outlets, they said.

Meanwhile, the jail authorities have denied any special treatment or concessions were given to the visitors Dutt had on Monday - his sister Namrata and friend Manyata - as well as the team of lawyers from Mumbai as reported in the media.

"For us, Dutt happens to be just one of hundreds of jail inmates serving their sentence on conviction," Satish Mathur, Inspector-General, Prisons, said. 
 
 
SC to Hear Dutt's Plea for Bail on Friday
PTI 
 
New Delhi:  The Supreme Court will hear on Friday the petition filed by Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt, sentenced to six years' imprisonment in connection with the 1993 Mumbai blasts case, seeking interim bail.

Senior advocate Fali S Nariman mentioned the matter before a Bench headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan, which agreed to his plea for hearing Dutt's bail application on August 10.

Nariman said the actor has been taken into custody even without serving him the copy of the judgement, which found him guilty under the Arms Act.

Dutt on Tuesday filed a petition in the Supreme Court challenging his conviction by the TADA court in the case, saying he was held guilty on a very weak piece of evidence.

The actor, who has sought suspension of six year sentence, had also moved an application seeking bail maintaining that he never violated the bail condition during the course of trial.

He has contended that the Special TADA court has erred in holding him guilty under the Arms Act as no arms and ammunitions were recovered from his possession or from his residence at his instance.

Dutt was given a six-year jail term in the 1993 serial blasts case by the TADA court on July 31.

The actor, who spent 16 months in prison after his arrest in April 1993, was also fined Rs 25,000 by the special court.

Dutt, 48, was convicted in November last year for the illegal possession of a 9mm pistol and an AK-56 rifle but acquitted of more serious charges under the now defunct anti-terror TADA law.