Mumbai, Aug 28 (IANS) Coming to the defence of Minister of State for Food and Civil Supplies Baba Siddique for his links with convicted Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt, Maharashtra Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh Tuesday said that the minister was a close family friend of the Dutts and had not done "anything wrong".Siddique has been in the firing line of the opposition Shiv Sena and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for repeatedly being seen in the company of Dutt, who has been sentenced to six years in jail for illegal possession of arms in the 1993 Mumbai serial bombings.

A sked about Siddique at a press conference in Aurangabad, the chief minister said: "He has been a friend of the Dutt family. He (Siddique) has already stated that they are family friends. Priya Dutt is out party MP and he has not done anything wrong."

The Sena and BJP, in separate press statements, have raised the issue of Siddique's proximity to the 48-year-old actor.

Leader of Opposition Ramdas Kadam pointed out that while deputy Chief Minister R.R. Patil has ordered a departmental probe against policemen who were seen shaking hands with Dutt at the time of his release from Yeravada Jail on interim bail, the government was protecting Siddique.

"When the government has been prompt in taking action against the cops, what action is it contemplating against Siddique who is always seen beside Dutt?" asked BJP legislator Madhu Chavan.

"You must understand that police is a disciplined force. The norms applicable to them may differ from those applicable to civilians," Deshmukh said.

Siddique, however, maintains that Dutt is a family friend and there was nothing wrong in his act. "I have gone there (at Dutt's residence) as a friend, not as a minister," he said.

Deshmukh also denied that he had revoked the suspension of a police constable, who was seek hugging and shaking hands with Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt when he was released from Yeravada jail last week.

"I have not issued any orders (revoking the suspension)," Deshmukh told reporters in Aurangabad. He was responding to a specific query from media persons who asked him whether he had revoked the suspension of constable Rajendra Kalekar - against whom action was taken by his deputy and Home Minister R.R. Patil.

Deshmukh said that he or Patil had nothing to do with it as Inspector General of Prisons (Satish Mathur) took the action under the jail manual and civil service.