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Maharashtra government remits Hazare's jail sentence

Social crusader Anna Hazare, who is serving a three-month sentence in a defamation case filed by social welfare minister Babanrao Gholap at Yerwada prison in Pune was today released following a order by the state government.

The decision to remit the sentence imposed on Hazare was taken by Chief Minister Manohar Joshi considering the public opinion and appeal made by various organisations, according to official sources in Pune.

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Holambe-Patil had, on September 9, sentenced Hazare to three months simple imprisonment as he refused to furnish a bond of Rs 5,000 and give an assurance that he would not make irresponsible statements during the period of two years.

The Magsaysay awardee was released from the Yerwada jail in Pune at 1830 hours.

After issuing the order, Joshi said the state government is committed to rooting out corruption from the state administration and the state government was working towards achieving the goal.

Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray, in a statement in Saamna yesterday, had stated that the state government would release Hazare as it would not be in its interests to be at loggerheads with social activists like him.

The Sena chief said differences among individuals was natural in politics and added that his party was never opposed to Hazare's crusade against corruption.

''We only oppose those people, who in the guise of fighting corruption, are actually indulging in it'', he sated.

The Sena chief hoped that Hazare's release would ease political and social tensions in the state.

The chief minister at his weekly post cabinet press briefing on Tuesday had assured reporters that the government would take a decision regarding Hazare's release within two to three days.

He had also pointed out that the state government had the right to remit a sentence or grant pardon to any person.

UNI

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