SC rejects Dutt's review plea in 1993 Bombay blasts case

The Supreme Court has rejected actor Sanjay Dutt's review petition in the 1993 Bombay blasts case saying there was no merit in the argument presented by him. Dutt had sought a review of the March 21 judgement upholding his conviction and five years jail in 1993 Bombay serial blasts case. Sanjay Dutt is scheduled to surrender on May 15.

A bench of P Sathasivam and BS Chauhan, which had delivered March 21 verdict, took up the review plea in chamber.The bench also rejected similar pleas made by other six convicts in the case. Other six convicts, who filed review petitions are Yusuf Mohsin Nulwalla, Khalil Ahmed Sayed Ali Nazir, Mohamed Dawood Yusuf Khan, Shaikh Asif Yusuf, Muzammil Umar Kadri and Mohd Ahmed Shaikh.

The Supreme Court had on April 17 granted Dutt four weeks' time to surrender before jail authorities. Dutt has to be in jail for 42 months so that he can finish his sentence.

The apex court had reduced to five years the six-year jail-term awarded to him by a designated TADA court in 2006, ruling out his release on probation saying the "nature" of his offence was "serious". Dutt was convicted by the TADA court for illegal possession a 9 mm Pistol and a AK-56 rifle which was part of the consignment of weapons and explosives brought to India for co-ordinated serial blasts that killed 257 people and injured over 700.