Sanjay in trouble, SC declines time to his fellow convicts

New Delhi, April 16: This could be bad news for actor Sanjay Dutt. The

today dismissed the petition of three 1993 Mumbai blasts convicts seeking extension of time to

.

In his petition, Dutt has sought another six months to surrender in order to complete his unfinished films before he goes to jail. Dutt, 53, who was directed to surrender by April 18, urged the apex court to allow him to finish shooting of his films which will take at least 196 days. He also said that producers had invested huge sums in these films. Dutt's plea hearing has been adjourned today and it will continue tomorrow.

Meanwhile, the three convicts had filed their petitions and sought extention on the ground that their clemency pleas are pending before President Pranab Mukherjee.

The three, Zaibunnisa Anwar Kazi (70), Issaq Mohd Hajwane (76) and Shariff Abdul Gafoor Parker (88) alias Dadabhai, had moved the apex court seeking more time to surrender.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Altamas Kabir rejected their petitions, saying extension of time to surrender cannot be given on the ground that clemency plea is pending before the President.

The apex court had on March 21 upheld the TADA court's verdict of five-year jail term to Zaibunnisa Kazi who is suffering from cancer.

It has enhanced to life imprisonment the five-year jail term awarded to Hajwane by the trial court. He spent five years in prison during the trial in the case.

In case of Parker, the life sentence awarded by the TADA court was upheld by the apex court. He has already served over 14 years in jail.

Former Supreme Court judge and Press Council of India chief Markandey Katju had made a representation to the President on behalf of Zaibunnisa Kazi on March 18 and on behalf of the other two on April 10.

The writ petitions filed by them had pleaded that they they should not be asked to surrender till the representation made by Katju on their behalf is decided by the President.

OneIndia News