MUMBAI: The Supreme Court has refused to grant an extension to Bollywood’s troubled star Sanjay Dutt, in connection with the 1993 Bombay blasts case. Dutt will have to surrender on 16 May, Wednesday, as scheduled.
The SC upheld the verdict in the case, wherein Dutt will serve the remainder of his 3.5 year jail sentence, commencing from 16 May. A special bench convened by justices B S Chauhan and Dipak Misra refused to grant the actor more time, under the plea filed by a film producer, seeking an extension for Dutt to surrender in order to complete two films which are under production.
Earlier last week, on 10 May 2013, the apex court had dismissed Dutt’s plea asking for review of its judgement on his conviction and five-year jail term.
The court had upheld his conviction in the 20 year-old Bombay blasts case, which was allegedly masterminded by underworld kingpin Dawood Ibrahim and the Pakistani ISI. On 21 March, the apex court had granted an extension of four weeks to the 53 year-old actor, to complete his pending work assignments.
Dutt was convicted under the TADA court for illegal possession of a 9 mm pistol and an AK-56 rifle, as part of a consignment of weapons and explosives smuggled into India for the coordinated bomb blasts that killed 257 people and injured over 700 in 1993.
