India's top court Thursday sentenced Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt to five years in jail for the illegal possession of arms in a case connected to a series of bomb blasts that ripped through Mumbai and were one of the deadliest terror attacks in the country. The court also blamed Pakistan's domestic intelligence agency for the blasts.
On 12 March 1993, 12 bombs ripped through India's financial capital, killing 257 people and injuring more than 700. The deadly blasts targeted several key locations in the city including the Bombay Stock Exchange, an iconic building of national airline Air India, the headquarters of the Shiv Sena, a right-wing Hindu political party, and a couple of popular shopping areas in the city.
Mr. Dutt was sentenced to six years in prison in 2007 for illegal possession of weapons that were supplied to him by men subsequently convicted in the bombing. That court cleared Mr. Dutt of involvement with the bombing plot. He has denied involvement with the attacks and said he asked for the guns to protect his family.
He appealed the decision at the Supreme Court and was let out on bail in 2007. He has remained at liberty since then, continuing to make blockbuster films and hosting India's version of the Big Brother reality-television franchise.
The court on Thursday reduced his sentence to five years but said the circumstances and nature of offense was so serious that Mr. Dutt cannot be released on probation. Mr. Dutt, 53 years old, already has spent a cumulative 18 months in jail on related charges.
Mr. Dutt will have to surrender within four weeks to serve the sentence, the court said.
"I am shattered and in emotional distress," Mr. Dutt said in a statement. "I have always respected the judicial system and will continue to do so, even with tears in my eyes," he said.
His lawyer Satish Maneshinde told the media that he would consider filing a review petition of the decision on his client's behalf after seeing the judgment.
Source Ajetun Blog
Common people knows Sanjay Dutt through his film, but in real he has friends who have links with terror activities so what is his character ? how many of us have friends who gifts AK47 for self protection ? how many of us has links who can buy AK47 kind of guns and visit our home ? Simple logic and reasoning can be derived with his so called social behaviors and contacts if he is guilty or not.. such a high profile case could have been snubbed by Law if there is really no substance with his case for a crime. We have so many people giving judgments over supreme court judgments.. this is mockery of democracy that anybody has any right to say even above law.. If Sanjay Dutt is real men and true Indian, he should respect the law and the judiciary system of the land and go to jail and win heart of fello Indian. he should confess to world what is he in real. Who all people he socialize with and what all those people are doing against India..
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