MUMBAI, Apr 10:Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt, ordered by the Supreme Court to complete his five years sentence for complicity in the 1993 Mumbai blasts, is mulling filing a review petition against the judgement, sources close to him said today.
The Supreme Court had on March 21 upheld Dutt’s conviction under Arms Act and sentenced him to five years in jail of which he has already served 18 months. In keeping with the order to surrender within four weeks, he has to give himself up before the designated TADA court here by April 18.
The actor has the option of filing a review petition and, in the event of failing to get relief, he can file a curative petition, the sources said.
While review petition comes up before the same bench which heard his appeal against the trial court’s order sentencing him to prison, the curative petition is heard by a larger bench.
“There exists the option of filing a review petition but nothing has been finalised as yet,” the actor’s lawyer Satish Maneshinde told.
Though the actor can also seek pardon from the state governor, he has gone on record to say he would not.
Amid a growing clamour for his clemency, Dutt, 53, had told the media on March 28 that he would not apply for pardon.
“There are many other people who deserve pardon. I want to tell with folded hands to the media, the honourable citizens of the country, that when I am not going for pardon then there can be no debate about it,” Dutt, who repeatedly broke down during his interaction with the press, said.
Governor K Sankaranarayanan had earlier this month sent over 60 representations and petitions received by him from various individuals and organisations, both seeking and opposing clemency for Dutt, to the state home department.
These petitions included those from PCI chief Markandey Katju and expelled Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh.
Meanwhile, racing against time, the actor has set up a dubbing studio at his home and is trying to finish all pending projects.
“With limited time left in his hand he is trying to make use of each and every moment he has. He is working double shifts to keep his promise. He works on the sets of the film during the day, while at night he dubs for films, for which he has set up a dubbing studio at home,” a source close to the actor said.
Dutt, who is playing a cop in T P Agarwal’s “Policegiri” is yet to finish shooting for the film.
“We will require four-five days to wind up the shooting schedules with him and dubbing,” Agarwal told.
His other pending projects include Karan Johar’s “Ungli”, Rajkumar Hirani’s “Peekay”, and Apoorva Lakhia’s remake version of “Zanjeer”, where Dutt essays the iconic role of Sher Khan played by Pran in the original.
“He has to finish work on ‘Zanjeer’, ‘Ungli’, ‘Peekay’, ‘Policegiri’ and ‘Sher’. He is very committed to his work. He is trying his best to complete all pending work. Due to his professional commitments he is not getting time to spend with his family,” a source said.
Sanjay’s appeal against the trial court’s judgement sentencing him to jail for possessing a pistol and AK-56 rifle was rejected on March 21 by the Supreme Court which had reduced his imprisonment from six years to five years.
The apex court upheld the actor’s conviction in the serial blast case on the basis of his confession given to a police officer who was competent to record it under TADA (P) Act. Under this act, a confession made by an accused can be used as evidence against him and also against other accused.
Dutt had argued that he had retracted his confession later. However, the Supreme Court said that a voluntary and free confession, even if later retracted, can be relied upon.
The apex court had also rejected Dutt’s plea for release on probation saying the circumstances and nature of the offence were so serious that they did not warrant Dutt the benefit of Probation of Offenders Act. (PTI)
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