Sanjay Given An Extention On Surrender Date

On thursday Sanjay Dutt, convicted for illegal possession of arms in the 1993 serial blasts case, was given time till January 18 to surrender by a court in Mumbai.

Judge P D Kode granted Sanjay and seven others convicted in connection with the blasts additional time to surrender the since the court is currently occupied with hearing arguments regarding the quantum of sentence for others found guilty in the case. The court will hear Sanjay's plea to waive his punishment under the Probation of Offenders Act on January 18 and arguments on the quantum of sentence for eight accused, including the actor, who have been given time to surrender after being found guilty.

On November 28, Sanjay was convicted under the Arms Act for possessing a 9mm pistol and an AK-56 rifle. He faces a prison term ranging from five to 10 years. Represented by a battery of lawyers including senior counsel V R Manohar and Satish Maneshinde, Sanjay contended that the arguments on the quantum of sentence and the plea under the Probation of Offenders Act should be heard on the same day as they were connected.

Manohar told the court that Sanjay had been earlier granted bail by the Supreme Court and he should be granted time to surrender as the trial was not yet complete. Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam argued that once an accused is held guilty by the court, he has to be taken into custody. He also said the sentence could not be waived as it had not yet been awarded. Judge Kode, while granting time to the eight persons to surrender, said this was an important question of law. He added the court was currently busy hearing the arguments on the quantum of sentence for the other convicts.

At the time of the judgement, Sanjay had sought additional time to surrender as he had to make arrangements for his daughter Trishala's education in the US and complete some films. Sanjay also pleaded he would invoke Section 4 of the Probation of Offenders Act at the time of making submissions on the quantum of his sentence. Under this provision, he can be released on bond on assurance of good conduct for a period not less than three years.