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Mumbai: Sanjay Dutt on Thursday went back to jail to serve 42 months sentence in the 1993 Bombay blasts case, several hours after he surrendered before a TADA court, abiding by the deadline set by the Supreme Court.
The court allowed the actor access to medicines, home-food, fan and take his mattress and pillow during his stay in the jail.
The 53-year-old actor was also allowed to take with him copies of Bhagwad Gita, Ramayan and Hanuman Chalisa besides his toiletries including toothpaste, shampoo, slippers, kurta, pyjama and mosquito repellants.
However, TADA Judge G A Sanap rejected Dutt's request for an electronic cigarette (Dutt is a chain smoker). Instead, the judge advised him to quit smoking.
Capping another phase in the Bollywood actor's chequered life, Dutt drove to the court in South Mumbai in the afternoon accompanied by his wife Manyata, sister and Congress MP Priya and brother-in-law Owen Roncon.
He was sent to the Arthur Road Central Prison by court after completion of formalities, which took several hours. He may be shifted soon to the Yerwada jail in Pune.
Filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt also came along with the Dutt family in their car but did not come up to the court.
Besides Dutt, four other convicts - Essa Memon, Kersi Adjania, Yusuf Nulwala and Altaf Shaikh - also surrendered to serve their remaining jail term.
Police kept a tight vigil outside Dutt's residence at Pali Hill in upscale suburban Bandra, where fans in large numbers had gathered since morning, and also in the court premises in the wake of threats to his life.
While Dutt had told the court earlier that he faced threats to his life from fundamental forces, Arthur Road jail in Central Mumbai had received an anonymous letter stating the popular actor would be harmed if he was lodged there.
A large group of people, that also comprised media persons and photographers, surrounded the car in which the actor arrived, not allowing him to get down. Bhatt emerged from the vehicle and appealed to the media with folded hands to move away so that Dutt could go to the court. Finally, the way was cleared.
