Pune, Nov 29: Film actor Sanjay Dutt was released from Pune's Yerawada Jail on Thursday morning, two days after the Supreme Court granted interim bail to him.

Dutt's lawyer Satish Maneshinde visited the jail with the relevant papers and delivered them to the jail authorities. He was accompanied by Dutt's former secretary Pankaj Kharbanda.

Dutt is expected to reach Mumbai within a short while by a chartered plane.

Dutt's friend and co-convict Yusuf Nalwalla was also released. The apex court also granted bail to 16 other convicts.

Dutt, sentenced to six years imprisonment under the Arms Act in connection to the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case, had been lodged in Yerawada Jail since October 22.

The apex court will hear the case after six months, implying that Dutt's relief would be of at least that period.

Dutt has been sentenced for six years of rigorous imprisonment by a TADA Court under the Arms Act in connection with the 1993 Mumbai blasts case.

The actor had approached the apex court following his conviction for illegally keeping arms - an AK 56 rifle and a pistol, relating to the 1993 Mumbai blasts case.

Two months earlier, Dutt had received an interim bail from the apex court as he had not received a copy of his judgement.

Dutt, surrendered before the TADA court after he received a copy of the special court's judgement

Dutt has already spent nearly 16 months in prison before his release on bail in 1996. (ANI)