Sanjay Dutt will soon file a curative petition in the Supreme Court against his conviction in the 1993 blasts case. The actor on Thursday surrendered before the Tada court. He had earlier filed a review petition in the SC that upheld the trial court’s order on March 21 and directed Dutt to surrender to serve his remaining jail sentence. He had already spent 551 days in prison.
“We are set to file a curative petition in the Supreme Court soon,” advocate Rizwan Merchant, who is representing Dutt, told special Tada judge G.A. Sanap. Dutt was sentenced to five years rigorous imprisonment under the Arms Act for his role in the 1993 blasts. Apart from a curative petition, Dutt can file for a leniency plea before the President or the Maharashtra state governor.
Interestingly, although he himself hasn’t moved the governor, the latter has received several letters from other persons recommending leniency for Dutt. One of the letters was sent on the day of the SC judgment by former jurist and present Press Council of India chairman Markandey Katju.
Dutt will now be taken to Arthur Road Jail for a medical check-up, following which he will be taken to the Yerawada prison in Pune. Five other accused, who were convicted in the 1993 blasts, also surrendered before the court. The SC, after the March 21 judgment, had granted four weeks for Dutt to surrender, taking into consideration his pending film commitments.