TADA court to pronounce sentence for Sanjay Dutt

For Sanjay Dutt, the next big day in court is next Wednesday. Special judge P D Kode has said he will take up the actor's probation plea on May 16. Dutt had asked his friend, Yusuf Nulwalla, to destroy the AK-56 rifle, which was at his Bandra residence after the 1993 blasts. The actor was busy shooting in Malaysia when the news of the blasts had spread.

Nulwalla obeyed and cut the rifle into pieces and carried them to co-accused Kersi Adajania's foundry, where the two of them melted it and threw the remains in the Arabian Sea off Marine Drive. A pistol was later handed over to Rusi Mulla and all three were held guilty under the Arms Act along with Dutt for illegal possession of prohibited arms.

The minimum sentence they attract is five years and the maximum is 10. But all have sought their release for good conduct as they said they are not criminals and had no mal-intention in possessing the weapons. Besides, they have said they will have to mingle with hardened criminals - which may corrupt them - if they go to jail.

They said the interest of justice would be served if they were released on certain conditions. The court will have to decide if it should release them. The prosecution, through Ujjwal Nikam, argued at length that Dutt was not an immature youth when the offence took place and knew very well that the weapon he possessed was not an ordinary one. He said Dutt did not deserve any leniency.

Dutt has already served 16 months in prison and is entitled to a remission of three months for every year he has to serve in jail if his conduct is good.