Freedom at last: Sanjay Dutt released from Yerawada

CNN CORRESPONDENT

It's freedom at last for Sanjay Dutt. The actor, convicted in the 1993 Bombay blasts case, walked out of Pune's Yerawada jail early Thursday morning, two days after the Supreme Court granted him bail.

Family and friends were relieved after Dutt's release. CNN-IBN spoke to Ajay Marwah, a close family friend. He said the bail is a respite and now he can concentrate on his work for some time.

"Yea this a respite for Sanjay. Now he can focus on his work. I have seen him for over a decade and he has taken it all very well. He has become a wonderful person after having gone through all this. He's shining like a diamond. His family too is strong and have taken it all in their stride," said Marwah.

A beaming Dutt was seen coming out of jail with Yusuf Nulwala who was also granted bail by the Supreme Court. Dutt had to spend two nights in jail despite the Apex Court sending the bail orders via e-mail and fax.

The bail papers had to be brought to the jail authorities from the TADA court in Mumbai. Dutt had to furnish a bail amount of Rs 5 lakh.

The bail papers had to be physically brought from the Special TADA court in Mumbai to Pune's Yerawada Jail. Earlier the Supreme Court had granted him bail in the 1993 Bombay blasts case.

Under normal legal procedure, a judgement copy has to be delivered to a convict almost immediately after the judgement is passed so as to enable the convict to appeal to a higher court.

But clearly that is not the case for thousands of convicts across the state who are still waiting for their fair chance to appeal to a higher court. In this case Dutt has been the lucky one and by way of him, many others.

It is these nameless convicts who stand to benefit from the actions of the apex court. Thousands of prisoners languish behind bars because copies of their bail documents or release orders do not reach concerned authorities in time.

As for Dutt, the irony remains that in spite of his bail order coming quickly, he may still have to spend the night in jail as the hard copy of his release order from the TADA Court still hasn't reached the Yerawada Jail authorities.