Sanjay Dutt applies for bail extension

Bollywood star Sanjay Dutt Monday applied for extension of bail, a day ahead of his scheduled surrender at a special court after being found guilty of illegal possession of weapons in the 1993 Mumbai serial bombings.

Dutt's lawyer Farhana Shah Monday moved the special Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA) court appealing for an extension of the actor's bail, which ends Tuesday. The appeal is to be heard Tuesday.

The lawyer cited that Dutt was yet to finish work in his under-production films, the issue of the probate of his late father actor Sunil Dutt's will was yet to be sorted out and that he has to complete the arrangements for his teenaged daughter Trishala, who lives in US.

"We moved the court Monday afternoon for an extension of Sanjay Dutt's bail. We have requested the court to extend his bail till the quantum of the sentence is announced or till a time that the court deems fit," said Shah.

"We prayed to the court that the bail be extended so that Sanjay could complete all the under-production films and also sort out the issues of his late father's will and complete the financial arrangement for his teenaged daughter, who lives with her maternal grandparents in the US," Shah said.

"Since, special public prosecutor Ujjal Nikam was not present in the court today, the appeal would be heard tomorrow."

Dutt, an accused in the 1993 Mumbai bombing case, was found guilty of illegal possession of weapons by the special Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA) court under the Arms Act on Nov 28.

He faces a minimum of one year to a maximum of 10 years imprisonment.

The TADA court, which has given verdicts since Sep 12 for the 123 accused in the bombings that killed 257 people on March 12, 1993, had given the actor time till Dec 19 to surrender.

The court had, however, absolved him of more serious charges of conspiracy and helping the terrorists under TADA.