Actor Sanjay Dutt, who was lodged in the high-security 'Anda Cell' (Egg-shaped) for the past one week in Mumbai's Arthur Road jail, was shifted to Pune's Yerwada Jail at 6 am on Wednesday.
Dutt was convicted under the Arms Act for illegally possessing a 9 mm pistol and an AK-56 rifle, which were part of the weapons and explosives that were brought to India and used in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts. He was sentenced to five years in jail by the apex court on 21 March. The actor surrendered before the special TADA court last week and was lodged in Anda Cell in Arthur Road jail, which was once occupied by 26/11 terrorist Ajmal Kasab.
Before surrendering before court, Dutt had filed a petition to surrender at the Yerwada Jail claiming that he is facing threats from vested interests and other fundamentalist groups. However, the actor withdrew his petition and came forward to surrender before the TADA court.
Dutt was lodged in Arthur jail for one week, but has now been moved to Yerwada jail. Additional Director General of Prisons Meera Borvankar confirmed on the same, reported India TV.
Earlier, the 53-year-old actor was given the deadline to surrender in April, but he filed a petition seeking six months more time to complete his film projects. However, the judge gave him only four weeks time to surrender. The actor completed most of film projects and surrendered on 16 May.
Dutt has already spent 18 months in prison at Yerwada Jail. He will serve the remaining three-and-half year term in the same prison. The Pune jail is one of the biggest prisons in terms of capacity. The actor is expected to be lodged in the Pune's Anda Cell, which is touted as one of the most secure cells in that prison.
The court has allowed Dutt to get home-made food for one month. The judge also agreed to his appeal to provide him with a thin mattress, pillow and medicines for a month. The jail authorities will later decide whether to continue with these allowances.
