Mumbai, Feb 22 (Mumbai Mirror): Actor Sanjay Dutt whose fiveyear sentence is about to get over will be released on February 25 between 10 and 10.30 am. A final call on his remission and date of release will be taken on Monday.

The actor has been serving the remainder of his five-year term in Yerwada jail, Pune, for possessing illegal arms in the 1993 Mumbai blasts case. His family members, including wife Manyata and children, will be at the gates of Yerwada jail to receive him when he walks out.

Sources in Pune police said that they wanted to have a small welcome ceremony outside the jail, but they have been clearly told that there must be no celebration.

Dutt (56) has served more than 50 months out of the five-year sentence pronounced by the court. A regular remission was granted to Dutt by the authorities on account of his good behaviour.

The actor had once reached the jail late while returning from his parole and the jail authorities had recommended that he be punished for this lapse. This would have also affected his remission.

But late last year, Dutt was given a clean chit by the Maharashtra government. Dutt had reached jail two days late while he was on parole but an inquiry concluded that this was due to lapses on part of the jail administration to take a decision. The home department had then decided that Dutt will not be penalised for the lapse. Dutt served his sentence in two tranches - he had already spent 18 months in jail before the Supreme Court pronounced the five-year sentence.

As a result, he was supposed to serve only 42 months of the remaining term. Of these 42 months, he got remission of 7 days per month for good behaviour and extra-curricular activities like running a radio station inside the jail, educating other inmates and hence 420 days were reduced from the sentence. He was allowed 28 days of furlough every year - hence another 84 days (for three years) were reduced from his sentence. That left Dutt with 756 days, or 25.2 months, in prison.