http://www.ibnlive.com/news/sanjay-dutt-gets-6-yrs-jail-take n-into-custody/45923-3.html
New Delhi: Actor Sanjay Dutt on Tuesday was awarded six years rigorous imprisonment for illegal possession of weapons in the 1993 Mumbai bomb blasts.
Dutt, who has already been convicted under the Arms Act, was immediately taken into custody and sent to Mumbai's Arthur Road Jail. He can appeal in the Supreme Court against the TADA court verdict.
Other co-accused Yusuf Nulwalla has been sentenced to five years in prison under the Arms Act for aiding Dutt to dispose of the AK-56 rifle while Karsi Adjania was awarded two years in jail.
As the judgment was being read out a visibly shocked Dutt was seen shivering and holding back tears.
Earlier, Judge PD Kode said, that Dutt attended a dinner party hosted by actor-filmmaker Feroze Khan during the shooting of Yalgaar in December 1992 in Dubai. The party was also attended by gangsters Dawood Ibrahim and Iqbal Mirchi.
Kode added that Dutt not only committed the offense but he also made co-accused Nulwalla commit the offense.
"I can see a chain of crimes committed between Sanjay Dutt and others initiated by the actor," Kode said while reading out the judgment.
Kode however, permitted the actor to take a call from his daughter Trishala in the US.
Kode also heeded Dutt's request that he and his friend Yusuf Nulwalla be kept in the Arthur Road Jail but in different cells.
The judge, who has been holding court in the Arthur Road jail premises, said Dutt should not be kept with hardened criminals but in a proper place with all facilities. His family would be allowed to come and meet him.
Dutt's co-accused Rusi Mullah was granted relief under Probation of Offenders Act because of his age and restricted role in the 1993 Mumbai blasts. Mulla will be released after depositing Rs 1 lakh.
Dutt had been arrested on April 19, 1993 in the case and he spent 16 months behind bars as an undertrial. It raked up a huge controversy when he got bail and walked out of prison in spite of being charged under TADA.
Just three months back, the actor was acquitted on terrorism and conspiracy charges in the same case.
Interestingly, while Dutt was absolved on terrorism and conspiracy charges, his accomplices were found guilty under the TADA.
Manzoor, who had carried the gun from Dutt's bungalow, was found guilty under the TADA. Zaibunissa Kazi was convicted under TADA for concealing the consignment.
But Dutt, who asked for the weapons in the first place and kept them at his residence, was found 'not guilty' under this Act. Dutt had also been accused of ordering the destruction of the weapons. Yet, he got away with a milder rap.
With all 100 convicts in the case having been sentenced, Dutt's punishment ends the trial.
Dutt seeks time to surrender
Sanjay Dutt made an emotional plea for more time to surrender to the special court after the sentence was awarded.
Dutt asked for permission to speak in the court and went to the witness box with folded hands.
"Sir, I made a mistake 14 years ago. Please give me sometime to surrender," he said.
Judge P D Kode of the special TADA court replied, "Everybody makes mistakes." He added that he could not grant more time to Dutt to surrender under the law.
When Dutt's counsel Satish Maneshinde tried to point out that his client's conduct had been excellent throughout, Kode asked Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam for his opinion on this matter.
"I appreciate his conduct but there is a legal restraint that a person sentenced to more than three years in prison cannot be granted an extension of bail," Nikam said.
Popular support for Sanju
Commenting upon affidavits filed by public personalities like actor Dilip Kumar in support of Dutt, Judge Kode said these are of no use if there exists material, which says that the actor has indulged in a criminal act.
Dismissing the defence's argument that the weapons were acquired by Dutt for self-defence, Kode said such an acquisition cannot be called "noble", is contrary to the law and indicates scant respect for the law.
"I must say for every citizen, laws of the nation shall be respected. If you don't, I don't expect you to be called a moral person," Kode said.
Kode also observed it was an "eminently dangerous act" as the weapon possessed by Dutt was capable of mass destruction though the accused had not used the weapons.
He pointed out that apart from possessing the weapons, Dutt was a close acquaintance of Anees Ibrahim. Kode, however, said the crimes committed by Dutt and his friends Adajania and Nulwalla were not "anti-social, ghastly, inhuman, immoral or pre-planned" and did not cause any harm to the general public.
--------------
My opinion - YES! Infact he was aquited in the same TADA case (bolded above) in which his friends were convicted.
All things Korean
Current Affairs
