Bollywood comes out in support of Sanjay Dutt before surrender

Mumbai: The Indian film fraternity came out in full support of Bollywood star Sanjay Dutt who is set to go to jail after being sentenced for possessing illegal weapons during the 1993 serial Mumbai blasts.

Bollywood actor and Dutt`s co-star in several films, Anil Kapoor hoped that Dutt would come back strong after serving the sentence. "I think he will come back much stronger and I have a feeling that something positive will come out of it. I see everything positively," he said. Dutt`s friend and actor, John Abraham also expressed his love for him. "I personally love Sanju too much to really comment on this. I really love him a lot so I don`t think it would appropriate for me to comment on this," he said. Actor Sonu Sood said that Dutt had already suffered a lot, however was sure that he would come out as a winner. "The entire film industry is with him at the moment and that includes me too. This is a very tough phase for him. He is a fantastic person and we are with his family. He has already suffered a lot previously and I just hope that he comes out strong. He will come out as a winner," said Meanwhile, actress Priyanka Chopra who has shared screen space with Dutt, said it is a tough time for his family as well. "I hope God gives courage to his family and to him to get through this really tough ordeal. It is tough on the entire film industry," said Chopra. Dutt will surrender before a special TADA court here today. On Tuesday, Dutt had pleaded in court that he be allowed to surrender directly at the Yerawada jail as he feared a threat to his life from fundamentalist groups. On Wednesday he withdrew his plea, without giving reasons. On May 10, the Supreme Court had rejected Dutt`s plea seeking review its March 21 judgement upholding his conviction under the Arms Act and sentencing him to five years in jail in the arms case, saying there is no merit in it. The apex court, which had upheld the death sentence of Yakub Abdul Razak Memon, a key conspirator with Dawood Ibrahim in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts, ordered that Dutt return to jail to serve three-and-a-half years sentence for possessing illegal arms. A total of 257 persons were killed and 713 others injured when a series 13 coordinated explosions shattered the metropolis on March 12, 1993. The blasts occurred at 12 places, including Bombay Stock Exchange building, Air-India Building at Nariman Point, at Worli opposite Century Bazaar, Hotels Sea Rock and Juhu Centaur. ANI