Munnabhai's jhappi backfires

Hugging actor Sanjay Dutt during his release on bail from the Yerawada jail has landed a prison guard with a suspension from his job, report Dharmendra Jore & Yogesh Joshi.

Pune prison guard Milind Dandi will now have time to ponder over the cruel gulf between the reel and the real.

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While in Munnabhai movies, 'jadu ki jhappi' - the famous onscreen hugs - cures most miseries, hugging actor Sanjay Dutt during his release on bail from the Yerawada jail on Thursday has landed Dandi with a suspension from his job.

On Sunday, seven other jail guards and a police havaldar were also served showcause notices for shaking hands with the actor.

A Home Department spokesperson said a man in uniform hugging Dutt did not go well with Deputy Chief Minister RR Patil who also heads the department. "He ordered inquiry after seeing the incident on television," he added.

Patil refused to comment from Kolhapur, saying that he would talk to media on Monday. Jail Department chief Satish Mathur, who conducted initial inquiry, could not be reached despite repeated attempts.

The Yerawada Prison Superintendent, Rajendra Dhamane, confirmed the guard's suspension. He said Dandi hugged the actor immediately after Dutt stepped out of prison on last Thursday.

"Departmental enquiry has been initiated against other eight who were found shaking hands with the actor," he said. The department has sought visuals from the electronic media.

Convicted under the Arms Act in the 1993 serial blasts case, Dutt was released after Supreme Court granted him interim bail. He had spent 23 days in the prison. Dutt has been sentenced to six years rigorous imprisonment by a special TADA court for illegal arms possession.