Mumbai, Dec 26 (Agencies): Maharashtra government has initiated a probe into the grant of repeated furloughs to actor Sanjay Dutt, Minister of State for Home Ram Shinde said on Friday.

Actor Sanjay Dutt, who is currently serving a five-year jail term, was released on Wednesday on a two weeks' furlough by the Yerwada Central Jail (YCJ) authorities.

Earlier, he had taken furlough on medical grounds in October 2013 for 28 days, followed by a similar leave for 28 days in December 2013, to tend to his ailing wife Manyata. The latter had sparked protests.

His wife's prolonged illness prompted him to seek further parole in January for another 28 days.

Sanjay was convicted for illegal possession and destruction of an AK-56 army assault rifle during the 1993 Mumbai communal conflagration before the March 12, 1993 serial bomb blasts in the city.

Following a Supreme Court directive, he had surrendered May 16, 2013, and was shifted to the high-security YCJ in Pune to serve the remainder of his 42-month sentence.