Uphold Sanjay Dutt’s conviction in ’93 Mumbai blasts: CBI to SC

Zeenews Bureau

Mumbai: Repercussions of 1993 Mumbai blasts continue to trouble Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt. Dutt, on whom the investigating agency Central Bureau of Investigations holds circumstantial evidences of his involvement in the blasts, is in a tight spot yet again. In the latest development in the 1993 blasts case, the CBI on Thursday asked the Supreme Court to uphold Dutt`s conviction and his sentence of six years in jail awarded by the Bombay High Court. The SC is holding final hearing on the appeals filed by convicts as well as the CBI in the case in which 12 persons were awarded death penalty and 78 others sentenced to varying terms ranging from three years to life imprisonment. Dutt`s lawyer, however, insisted that the 16-inch rifle spring, which was later shown as a recovery, was planted on the actor by the investigating agency. "The seizure memo mentioned an 18-inch spring. But when it was produced in the court, it became 16 inches. This was done because an 18-inch spring isn`t used in an AK-56," he said. In November 2006, a special TADA court had acquitted Dutt of TADA charges but held him guilty under the Arms Act for the illegal possession of a 9-mm pistol and an AK 56 rifle. He was sentenced to six years imprisonment. Dutt was granted bail in 2007 on his appeal challenging his conviction in the Bombay serial blasts. The serial blasts were carried out by the underworld with the help of Pakistan in the aftermath of the Babri Masjid demolition in 1992.