An elated Sanjay Dutt on Thursday thanked his family and friends for their support while he was serving his jail term following the conviction under the Arms Act in connection with the 1993 Bombay blasts case.
After walking out of jail, Dutt bowed down, touched the soil outside the prison, turned around and saluted the national flag flying at the prison gate. Minutes after being released from Yerwada Central prison in Pune, Dutt said, "There is no easy walk to freedom, my friends. I am here because of the support of my family and friends."
The Bollywood actor, who was jailed in an arms case, was released from jail on Thursday morning. Dutt's wife Manyata and Bollywood director Raj Kumar Hirani were present outside the prison to receive him.
The actor is likely to visit Siddhivinayak Temple, and then proceed to seek blessing at his mother's grave at Marine Lines.
Dutt has served 42 months of his five-year sentence and his jail term was also marred by controversies because of his frequent furlough and parole.
Dutt's release from jail is part of a biopic being directed by Hirani.
Talking about Dutt's release, his sister Priya Dutt said, "It's an emotional day. I wish our father was here to see this. He has been very strong. He has been very sincere all through the 23 years. We cannot even understand what it must have been staying there inside the jail. He never complained. The love of the people for him and that his family is there with him is a big support."
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. During the investigation and the marathon trial, he spent 18 months in jail.
On March 12, 1993, Mumbai (then Bombay) was rocked by 13 explosions in different parts of the city. It led to teh death of 257 people and over 700 were injured. According to some news reports, the death toll was over 300 and the number of injured stood at 1400.
Till date it remains the largest coordinated terror attack to have taken place on Indian soil in terms of the number of casualties. It is also one of the most well-planned terror attacks to have been perpetrated in India apart from the 26/11 Mumbai attacks. It was also the first terror attack on Indian soil in which RDX was used as the explosive material.
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