1993 Mumbai Blast: Sanjay Dutt sentenced for 6 years

Mumbai, July 31: The designated TADA court today sentenced Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt to six-year rigorous imprisonment under the Arms Act for his involvement in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case.

The judge also imposed a fine of Rs 25,000 on Dutt, in lieu of which he will face an additional six-month imprisonment.

Meanwhile, the court released Dutt's friend Russi Mulla, providing the latter relief under the Probation of Offenders Act.

Mulla has to furnish a bond of Rs one lakh.

The TADA court also sentenced two other friends of the actor -- Yusuf Nalwalla and Kersi Adjania. Yusuf Nalwalla has been sentenced to five years rigorous imprisonment for possessing arms and two years rigorous imprisonment for destroying evidence.

However, the two sentences are to run concurrently. Kersi Adjania, in whose foundry the weapon in Dutt's possession was sought to be destroyed, was awarded two years rigorous imprisonment for destroying evidence. Both, Nalwalla and Adjania have been slapped a fine of Rs 25,000 each.

While handing the sentence to Dutt, judge Kode said his case could not fall under the purview of the Probation of Ofenders Act. Dutt had repeatedly committed crime after crime and had met underworld don Dawood Ibrahim and his brother Anees during a film shoot, the judge noted.

The possession of an AK-56 rifle which is a weapon of mass destruction, is a serious offence, the judge observed.

Soon after the sentence was awarded to him, an unshaven Dutt almost broke down. ''I made a mistake,'' he told the court at which the judge observed, ''Everybody makes a mistake.'' Dutt urged the court that he be granted time to surrender as he wanted to meet his daughter who is in the United States. However, this request was strongly challenged by public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam.

Dutt's counsel Advocate Satish Mane-Shinde told the court that he would like to make a detailed submission before the court later in the day for allowing his client time to surrender. Till that time, the police should not treat Dutt as any other criminal. The court granted the request.

UNI