On Tuesday, the Special TADA court has awarded six-year jail to Sanjay Dutt under the arms act. The Judge PD Kode talked tough on Sanjay Dutt and pronounced the sentence in the court. He will be taken directly into custody from the special TADA court. He would likely to spend the night at the Arthur Road Jail.
Rusi Mullah, co-accused with Sanjay Dutt was granted relief under Probation of Offenders Act by the court. Mullah had helped Dutt in disposing of the pistol he had acquired illegally. The court has reportedly taken note of his age and restricted role in the 1993 Mumbai blasts. Mulla will be released after depositing Rs 1 lakh in the court.
Sanjay Dutt was convicted under the Arms Act for possessing an AK-56 in a notified area. Sanjay Dutt had been arrested on April 19, 1993 after the serial Mumbai blast on March 12, 1993. He spent 16 months in prison as an under trial. Later, he got bail despite of being charged under TADA.
The prosecution had framed charges against him under Section 120-b IPC (conspiracy), Section 3 (3) of the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (prevention) Act and under Section 5 of TADA Act for possessing weapons, under Section 6 of the same Act for breaching provisions of other Acts and under Section 3 and 7 read with Section 25 of the Arms Act. Before three months, when the court had started pronouncing decisions in the case, Sanjay had a close escape as he was acquitted on terrorism and conspiracy charges.
According to the report, Sanjay Dutt had an escape from terrorism and conspiracy charges, at the same time; Manzoor, who had carried the guns from Dutt’s bungalow, was found guilty under the TADA. Another accused Zaibunissa Kazi was convicted under TADA for covering the consignment. However, Dutt was not found guilty despiteof asking for the weapons and kept them at home.
The court convicted him only under the Arms Act for illegal possession of arms in a notified area.
On September 16, 2006, we had asked people that ‘Should Accused No-117, Sanjay Dutt, Get Another Chance?’ Majority of the people replied in favor of giving Sanjay Dutt another chance.
But now, the verdict has been out and the court has awarded him 6-year jail. He has already been in jail for 18 months so, he will have to be in jail for four-and-half more years now.
Update: On Tuesday afternoon, Sanjay Dutt’s plea seeking more time to surrender was rejected by Justice Kode. He said that Sanjay should be held in a separate cell in the Arthur Road Jail. Later, the court said that it would hear on August 2 another application filed by Dutt.
Sanjay Dutt has also sought to be kept at the Arthur Road Prison in central Mumbai and appealed not to be sent to another jail in the state. Justice Kode also given him the permission to meet family members and close friends and to speak to his daughter Trishala who lives in the US.
