As news of Sanjay Dutt, brother of Congress MP Priya Dutt’s sentence spread, top Congress leaders — Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh, State Congress chief Prabha Rau and Mumbai Congress president Gurudas Kamat — were either reluctant to speak or remained incommunicado.
“We cannot justify what Dutt did nor can we welcome the judgment since he is the brother of our MP,” said a key Congress leader on anonymity.
Terming the verdict as unfortunate, Congress MLA Kripashankar Singh said, "Sanjay is a fine actor and we will miss him."Deputy CM RR Patil lauded the city police for ensuring a jail sentence for actor Dutt. "I welcome the verdict. I think everyone is equal before the law," he said.
Even the Shiv Sena was hesitant in its reaction. Denying allegations of having a soft corner towards Dutt whom the party mouthpiece Saamna had once termed innocent, Sena Executive President Uddhav Thackeray pointed out that party Chief Bal Thackeray had always maintained that Dutt should be punished if found guilty or else should be acquitted.
"For now, I would not like to say anything. I will speak at an appropriate time," said Uddhav adding that family relationship and punishment are separate issues.