1993 Mumbai blasts: Judgement day for Sanjay Dutt

It has been two decades since a series of 13 blasts shook the maximum city. Over 200 people were killed, more than 700 were injured and a was nation shocked as Mumbai witnessed terror like never before. The 1993 Bombay Blasts case investigation has spanned several months leading to the arrest of 123 accused and numerous others including underworld don Dawood Ibrahim named as wanted accused.

The trial had began in April 1994 under the stringent Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act or TADA while the first witness deposed in June 1995. The mammoth trial went on for 14 long years at Arthur Road Prison in Mumbai as over 600 witnesses were examined.

In December 2006, 100 accused were convicted while 23 were acquitted by the TADA court. Twelve of the accused were handed out the capital punishment, while 20 others got a life sentence.

Actor Sanjay Dutt was convicted under the Arms Act while he escaped conviction under TADA. He was handed out an imprisonment of six years and is currently out on bail. Seven more accused including extradited gangster Abu Salem are currently being tried for their roles in the blasts.

Public Prosecutor Ujwal Nikam said, "Senior actor Sanjay Dutt took a plea that this was his first offence and therefore he should be given benefit of probation of offender act. We strongly opposed his plea because he had already acquired one pistol from Khayum - a very close associate to Dawood Ibrahim and he was in the possession of the same, without a license."

The Supreme Court's verdict on Thursday will end this two-decade-long chapter of Mumbai's tryst with terror and with it perhaps bring closure to the horror of one of the maximum's city's darkest Friday.