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Sanjay Dutt to appear in court over arms case
Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt, convicted for the possession of illegal arms in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case, will appear before a special court here today - the day his bail extension expires.
- IANS
- Published: 00:00 February 6, 2007
Mumbai: Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt, convicted for the possession of illegal arms in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case, will appear before a special court here today - the day his bail extension expires.
On his fourth reprieve after being convicted for possession of arms and ammunition in the serial bombing case, Sanjay is likely to be greeted with slogans and banners outside the special Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Preventive) Acts (Tada) court by family members of his co-accused.
Sanjay's co-accused, now convicted in the bombing case and who had once been supportive to him during his 14 years of trial, feel the actor has gotten away easy because of his "political connections and stardom".
'Getting away'
"We will organise a protest against any other extension of Sanjay Dutt's surrender in front of the Arthur Road jail [today].
"When our relatives have been asked to surrender, how can Sanjay get away so easily for the same offence?" asked a close associate of one of the convicts.
Mario Thomas, general secretary of Jan Morcha that is organising the protest outside the high-security Arthur Road jail, said family members and relatives of blast convicts would form the majority of the protesters today.
Sanjay's counsel V.R. Manohar argued that the actor clearly qualified for being let off on probation because of an unblemished conduct during the 14 years of bail.
"The court should exercise its discretionary power after examining the circumstances in which the offence was committed, the nature of the offence and the character of the offender," Manohar said yesterday.
The Tada court had extended Sanjay's surrender date till February 6.
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