Hearing on Sanjay Dutt case deferred to May 18

Mumbai, May 16: The designated TADA court here today commenced the process of calling reports from the State-appointed Probation Officer on the applications filed by 97 serial blasts convicts, including Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt. who have sought relief under the Probation of Offenders Act (POA).

Designated court Judge P D Kode will start pronouncing the quantum of sentence from May 18 upon the 100 accused who have been held guilty and convicted in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case.

While calling for the reports, Judge Kode said neither the contents of the reports nor the names of the accused will be revealed for confidential reasons. The letters will be opened and the reports read when individual cases of those convicted and who had appealed for relief under the POA are taken up.

Meanwhile, Dutt was not present in the court today and was represented by his lawyer Satish Mane-Shinde. All the convicts, however, have to remain present in the court on May 18 when the judge will start pronouncing the quantum of sentences. This process is likely to take up a few weeks.

Dutt and three others -- Yusuf Nullwala, Rusi Mulla and Kersi Adajenia -- had sought relief under the POA and moved the appeal a few months back.

Following the application moved by Dutt and the three others, several of the convicts, too, had petitioned the court for similar relief.

Dutt and his three friends were cleared of charges under TADA, but were found guilty under different provisions of the Arms Act.

Senior counsels V R Manohar and Harshad Ponda had argued the POA applications. However, special public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam had opposed their appeal.

Dutt faces a minimum sentence of five years and a maximum of 10 years, however, he has spent nearly 18 months in jail. In the POA application, Dutt has cited his good conduct during the period of the trial and the services of his father late Sunil Dutt and mother late Nargis Dutt.

UNI

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