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JUL 31 - Lage Raho Munnabhai fame Sanjay Dutt aka Sanju, was
today jailed for six years on the last day of an epic trial
into the bombings in Mumbai
in 1993 that claimed the lives of 257 people.
The Munnabhai fame Bollywood star, who doffed his
action hero image for a successful carrier as a comedy
actor, was sentenced for illegal weapons
possession in connection with the Mumbai attack. “Sanjay was not a
minor at that time. Acquiring a weapon of this nature
suggests the character of the person, and is contrary to the
law,” Judge Pramod Kode said as he read out the sentence to
a packed courtroom.
Sanjay stood weeping before the judge, after pleading
with folded hands to be given bail to prepare an appeal.
"Don't be sentimental, be calm and quiet," the judge told
the actor. Sanjay was also fined 25,000 rupees.
The court refused to allow him out on bail pending his
appeal to the Supreme Court. He was later fingerprinted and
moved to a transition cell.
“Pray for me,” said a flushed Sanju, 48, after the
sentencing hearing. “I made a mistake 14 years ago,” he
said, asking the judge to give him some time to surrender to
prison authorities.
Dutt is the highest-profile figure connected to the 1993
bombings case, and Tuesday's hearing wrapped up more than a
decade of legal proceedings that have seen 100 people
convicted over the attacks. Of those convicted, 12 were
given death sentences and 20 others got life sentences.
Bollywood was meanwhile in shock over the verdict.
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Sanjay Dutt embraces an
unidentified person as he arrives at a special court
to stand trial for the 1993 Mumbai blasts, in Mumbai
July 31, 2007. |
Actress Kirron Kher said she was “shocked and saddened,”
arguing Dutt “has suffered enough for 14 years (and) he has
been exemplary in behavior.”
Film producer and director
Mahesh Bhatt said the sentencing was a “body blow.” ”I
cannot say the sentence was not fair... (but) six years is
too strong," he said.
Meanwhile, Sanjay's conviction would lead to a loss of Rs 20-25
crore for producers whose films are under production. The
films include Kidnap, Mr Fraud and Alibaug.
Added a source from the film fraternity, “The movies cannot
be made without him which implies that they are stuck.”
The filmmakers will either shelve their films or
replace Dutt. “It is too early for production houses to take
a call. One has to wait and watch,” said film analyst Taran
Adarsh.
Son of legendary film couple Sunil Dutt and Nargis,
Sanjay Dutt along with actor Arshad Warsi created a cult when Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s Munnabhai MBBS hit the silver screen in
2003. Its sequel in 2006 Lage Raho Munna Bhai raked around
Rs 69.97. The
production house had also announced its plans to release its
third in the series Munnabhai Chale America.
Before being taken into the jail, Dutt met his relatives and
spoke with his daughter Trishala, who is studying in the US,
on the telephone for over 10 minutes before the the call
ended abruptly.
Dutt was taken to a barrack situated next to the one housing
the TADA court and the mandatory process of recording his
fingerprints was done.
Barrack number 10 of the high-security Arthur Road Jail in
Mumbai will be Sanjay Dutt's address for at least the next
two days.
According to reports, the 48-year-old star will be held in a
cell in the same building as gangster Abu Salem, who
allegedly supplied him a consignment of weapons and
ammunition 14 years ago.
Reports said many prisoners gathered at the windows of their
cells to catch a glimpse of the actor as he was brought into
the prison today. There are a total of six cells in barrack
no 10 and each cell usually houses three prisoners.
Dutt spent 16 months in two spells in Arthur Road Jail after
his arrest in the blasts case in 1993 and this will be the
third time that he is being held there.
(By DesPardes.com Staff) |
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