FILE photo: Actor Sanjay Dutt

Actor Sanjay Dutt, who is serving a jail sentence of a little less than 4 years after being convicted under the Arms Act in 2013, was granted furlough -- a temporary leave of absence -- by the Yerwada jail in Pune on Tuesday where he is lodged.Under law, furlough is a matter of right to a prisoner. It is to be granted periodically irrespective of any particular reason merely to enable him to retain family and social ties and avoid ill-effects of continuous prison life. The period of furlough is treated as remission of sentence.The actor was found guilty of illegal possession of arms in a case related to the 1993 serial blasts in Mumbai. He had served 18 months of his five-year jail term earlier.The actor has spent over 118 days out of jail, either on parole or furlough between May 2013 and May 2014.Mr Dutt was granted a first 14-day parole after going to prison which was extended for another 14 days. This was allowed so that he could undergo treatment for his leg pain. He was again granted a 30-day parole in December which was extended twice.

The Bombay High Court in February this year had observed that it was high time the rules for such relief were looked into and that there was a need for bringing in 'radical changes' in the Prisons Rules, 1959. The High Court had even told the government that the diligence shown in granting the actor's requests was not seen in cases of other convicts.