New Delhi: The Congress today stood divided on the Sanjay Dutt issue with senior leader and Union Minister Kapil Sibal saying that it should stand by the actor in his hour of need, a suggestion which did not found favour with the party.

"We may be concerned or saddened. But any political party cannot do anything in such a case where the law has to take its own course," party spokesman Abhishek Singhvi told newsmen here to repeated questions about Sibal's support for the jailed actor.

His comments came after the Union Science and Technology Minister reiterated that the "Congress should stand by Dutt in this hour of crisis because of the long association his father had with the party and also because his sister is a sitting party MP."

Singhvi, however, tried to play down the issue saying there is no point in "flogging a dead horse" and there is no need to believe that he will not get justice.