SC grants four-week extension to Sanjay Dutt on "Humanitarian Grounds"
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New Delhi: In partial relief for the Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt, the Supreme Court on Wednesday granted four-week extension to surrender. Pronouncing the verdict the court said that the relief to Dutt was purely given on humanitarian grounds.
The Apex Court pronounced the judgement while hearing Dutt’s plea seeking six months additional time to surrender to undergo three-and-a-half- year jail term for illegally possessing firearms in connection with the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case.
The SC said Sanjay Dutt can have extension of one month to complete projects before surrendering to TADA court. "Four weeks time will start from tomorrow and no further extension will be granted after its expiry," the Apex Court said.
The Apex Court's decision came just a day before the deadline of his surrender ended.
Supreme Court rejected CBI contention that Sanjay Dutt can't be granted more time to surrender. According to reports, CBI had opposed Sanjay Dutt's plea arguing that giving more time would mean modifying verdict.
The Apex Court accepted the plea on humanitarian grounds raised by him for extending the time for surrender which was to expire tomorrow but made it clear that no further extension will be granted to him.
"Considering the peculiar facts and circumstances of the case and reasons stated in the petition, we are not inclined to extend the time by six months. However, we extend the time by four weeks from tomorrow. It is made clear that no further extension will be granted," a bench comprising justices P Sathasivam and B S Chauhan said.
The Apex Court on Tuesday deferred the hearing of Dutt’s plea. A bench of justices P Sathasivam and M Y Eqbal, before whom the matter was mentioned on Tuesday said Dutt's plea should be heard by the same bench which had passed the judgement in the 1993 Mumbai blasts case.
The Apex Court pronounced the judgement while hearing Dutt’s plea seeking six months additional time to surrender to undergo three-and-a-half- year jail term for illegally possessing firearms in connection with the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case.
The SC said Sanjay Dutt can have extension of one month to complete projects before surrendering to TADA court. "Four weeks time will start from tomorrow and no further extension will be granted after its expiry," the Apex Court said.
The Apex Court's decision came just a day before the deadline of his surrender ended.
Supreme Court rejected CBI contention that Sanjay Dutt can't be granted more time to surrender. According to reports, CBI had opposed Sanjay Dutt's plea arguing that giving more time would mean modifying verdict.
The Apex Court accepted the plea on humanitarian grounds raised by him for extending the time for surrender which was to expire tomorrow but made it clear that no further extension will be granted to him.
"Considering the peculiar facts and circumstances of the case and reasons stated in the petition, we are not inclined to extend the time by six months. However, we extend the time by four weeks from tomorrow. It is made clear that no further extension will be granted," a bench comprising justices P Sathasivam and B S Chauhan said.
The Apex Court on Tuesday deferred the hearing of Dutt’s plea. A bench of justices P Sathasivam and M Y Eqbal, before whom the matter was mentioned on Tuesday said Dutt's plea should be heard by the same bench which had passed the judgement in the 1993 Mumbai blasts case.
The court posted the case to Wednesday when the matter will be heard by a bench of justices P Sathasivam and B S Chauhan.
On Monday, Dutt had approached the Apex Court seeking more extension of time to surrender to undergo his remaining three-and-a-half-year jail term for illegally possessing firearms in connection with the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case.
In his petition, Dutt sought six more months’ time to surrender in order to complete his unfinished films before he goes to jail.
Dutt, 53, who was directed to surrender by April 18, urged the Apex Court to allow him to finish shooting of his films which will take at least 196 days and submitted that he should be allowed to surrender after completion of films as huge money has been invested by the producers in these projects.
The Apex Court had on March 21 granted Dutt, who has already been in jail for 18 months, to surrender within four weeks to undergo the remaining prison term.
However, 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 because the "nature" of his offence was "serious".
Dutt, the son of famous Bollywood couple Sunil Dutt and Nargis, 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 the coordinated serial blasts that killed 257 people and injured over 700.
In his petition, Dutt sought six more months’ time to surrender in order to complete his unfinished films before he goes to jail.
Dutt, 53, who was directed to surrender by April 18, urged the Apex Court to allow him to finish shooting of his films which will take at least 196 days and submitted that he should be allowed to surrender after completion of films as huge money has been invested by the producers in these projects.
The Apex Court had on March 21 granted Dutt, who has already been in jail for 18 months, to surrender within four weeks to undergo the remaining prison term.
However, 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 because the "nature" of his offence was "serious".
Dutt, the son of famous Bollywood couple Sunil Dutt and Nargis, 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 the coordinated serial blasts that killed 257 people and injured over 700.
Courtesy: Post Jagran
