All 3 anti-Sanjay Dutt's pleas deferred till Mar 13

Mumbai, Mar 12: Hearing on all three pleas by as many groups ofconvicts on the fate of Bollywood actor-convict Sanjay Dutt in the 1993serial bomb blasts in the country's financial and entertainment capitalwas adjourned till tomorrow by the TADA court here today.

Dutt was among the 100 people who have been convicted in the caseof the multiple blasts which had claimed 257 lives and left over 700people wounded in this metropolis this day 14 years ago. Of the 123accused who faced trial, 23 were acquitted by the TADA court during oneof the longest judicial trials in the world history.

The court took 84 days from September 12 to December 4, last yearto pronounce convictions and acquittals in the case. However, the courthas yet to announce sentence punishing the 100 convicts.

As arguments on the plea of 69 convicts, seeking parity withconvict Sanjay Dutt remained inconclusive today, designated judgePramod Kode deferred it till tomorrow.

Defence counsel Mustaq Ahmed argued that the case against 69convicts does not fall under the Terrorists and Disruptive Activities(Prevention) Act and hence they should be treated at par with the actor.

Dutt was acquitted of the terror charge but was found guilty under the Arms Act and could face up to ten years of imprisonment.

The second plea by a group of 68 convicts, seeking the court's nodfor retrial and direction to convict them under the Arms Act and theIndian Penal Code (IPC) like Sanjay Dutt was also adjourned tilltomorrow by the court.

The third plea by an intervener, seeking dismissal of Dutt's pleafor relief under the Probation of Offenders Act (POA), too, wasdeferred till tomorrow.

UNI

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