Supreme Court to hear Sanjay Dutt's petition to stay conviction

New Delhi, Mar 30 (ANI): The Supreme Court will today hear a petition filed by Bollywood actor-turned-politician Sanjay Dutt seeking a stay on his conviction under the Arms Act in connection with the 1993 Mumbai blasts case

Earlier, a bench headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan issued notice to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and sought its reply on the plea of Dutt.

On March 5, Dutt, who was named by the Samajwadi Party as its candidate for the forthcoming general elections, moved the Supreme Court.

Dutt can only contest the Lok Sabha polls if he gets a stay.

Defence counsel V R Manohar, who represented Dutt in the case, said he couldn't contest unless the Supreme Court stays the conviction and suspends the sentence.

Under the Representation of the People Act, anyone sentenced to more than two years imprisonment is barred from contesting elections till a court of law stays the conviction and sentence.

On November 27, 2007, Dutt was granted bail by the apex court. He is out on merely on bail following his conviction in the blasts case. So his conviction stands. n July 31, 2007, he was sentenced to a jail term of six years for illegal possession of firearms acquired from terrorist acquaintances, who were responsible for the 1993 Mumbai bomb blasts.

He was, however, "cleared of terrorism conspiracy charges in the blasts." (ANI)