1993 Bombay blasts: Sanjay Dutt gets 4 more weeks of relief

The Supreme Court has given actor Sanjay Dutt four more weeks to surrender in the 1993 Bombay blasts case. The actor, who had earlier been asked by the court to surrender by April 18 wanted six months' extension to complete his film projects before surrendering to undergo his prison term.

The court observed that the producers should have realised and considered that one such case was coming up and questioned as to why they went ahead with projects involving Sanjay Dutt. The court found the argument that there was a huge amount riding on him weak.

The court also said that relief to Sanjay Dutt was given purely on humanitarian grounds. The actor, convicted under the Arms Act in the blasts case, had argued that he was a young man in 1993 and has done a lot of social work since then and so leniency should be shown towards him.

Earlier on Tuesday, the apex court refused to extend time for surrender for Zaibunissa Kazi and two others convicted in the blasts case. The Supreme Court directed them to surrender by April 18.

Reacting to the court order on Sanjay Dutt, Zaibunissa's daughter Shagufta said, "It is very important to be a celebrity in this country is all I can say." "I wish I or my mother was a celebrity," she added.

Zaibunissa had argued that her punishment should be kept in abeyance until the Maharashtra governor or the President of India decides on pardon. 71-year-old Zaibunissa's sentence of five years by the Bombay High court was upheld by the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court had said that all convicts should surrender within four weeks of its upholding the Bombay High Court judgement.

Zaibunisa was charged for possessing illegal arms and ammunition and also under the stringent TADA Act. Former Supreme Court judge and Press Council of India chief Markandey Katju had made a representation to the President on behalf of Kazi on March 18 and on behalf of other two on April 10.

The Supreme Court had on March 21, 2013, upheld Sanjay Dutt's conviction in the 1993 Bombay blasts case but his jail sentence was reduced from six to five years. He along with other convicts were given four weeks (April 18) to surrender. Sanjay Dutt has already served 18 months in jail and has to serve the remaining 3.5 years in jail.