'Sanjay Dutt can't wash off sins with bogus Gandhigiri'

Mumbai, April 14: Noted prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam, who worked as a special public prosecutor in 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case, on Saturday turned philosophical to take a dig at Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt whose conviction was recently upheld by the Supreme Court.

"Neta ho ya Abhineta....Bogus Gandhigiri se parmatma ke ghar me koi apna pap nahi dho sakta (No one, whether an actor or politician, can get any solace from God by fooling people with bogus Gandhigiri)", Nikam said without naming Dutt whose character in the 2006 blockbuster "Lage Raho Munna Bhai" popularised the term Gandhigiri.

In its recent verdict, the apex court awarded five-year term to the actor for possessing illegal arms and asked him to surrender to face the sentence. Nikam was speaking at a lawyers' conference here where he was felicitated for his contribution to the legal field.

Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan and Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar felicitated the noted lawyer and presented him a citation in recognition of his work. In his speech, Chavan expressed concern over the state's dismal conviction rate while hailing Nikam's work as a public prosecutor and "the trust the members of society repose in him".

Reacting to the honour, Nikam appealed to the Bar Council of Maharashtra and Goa, organisers of the conclave, to be "alert" on "bad elements" trying to pollute the legal profession.

PTI