In a huge setback to actor Sanjay Dutt, the Supreme Court on Thursday refused to release him on probation for his involvement in the 1993 Mumbai blasts case and sentenced him to five years in jail.
In Pics: Sanjay Dutt gets 5 year in jail in 1993 Mumbai blasts
Dutt has already served around 18 months in custody for illegal possession of arms, allegedly from the same consignment of ammunition used in carrying out the massacre that led to killing of 257 persons while leaving more than 700 others injured.
Sanjay Dutt is a strong man… he will undergo sentence, says lawyer
Dutt had been sentenced to six years in jail by the designated TADA court in 2006. He has now been ordered to surrender within four weeks to serve the remaining sentence.
The Supreme Court said the circumstances and nature of the offence was so serious that Sanjay Dutt cannot be released on probation.
The apex court has asked Sanjay Dutt to surrender within four weeks.
While delivering its verdict, the apex court said that the minimum sentence under the Arms Act is five years and that it cannot go under this under any circumstance.
The actor, who was in Mumbai at the time of the verdict, will now have to serve three and half years in jail.
“Sanjay Dutt is a strong man and will fight for himself,” said his lawyer Satish Maneshinde.
“I expected mercy but that did not happen,” his lawyer further added.
