Actor Sanjay Dutt surrendered before the special TADA court here on Monday after being handed over a copy of the judgment in the 1993 serial blasts case by the court. Sentenced to six years rigorous imprisonment for being in possession of one AK-56 rifle, magazines and 9 mm pistol on July 31, Dutt was granted interim bail by the Supreme Court on August 20, subject to the condition that he would surrender before the special TADA court as soon as he got the copy of the judgment. The good news for Dutt is that the special TADA court judge P D Kode states in the judgment that there is no proof that he received the weapons through Anees Ibrahim, key conspirator of the 1993 serial blasts and brother of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim. “It can be safely said that the weapons received by A-117 (Dutt) was not received by him because of his any nexus with Anees for such a purpose,” the judgment says. Though Dutt’s confession reveals “some nexus” with Anees Ibrahim the “said material cannot be stretched to the conclusion that the weapons were received or handed over to A-117 because of the said relationship,” it says. The court also rejected the content in Samir Hingora’s confession that Dutt spoke to Anees when Abu Salem and Baba Chauhan delivered the arms in his house. Hinting that extradited accused Abu Salem’s confession could have helped prove Dutt possession of hand grenades for 2-3 days, the judgment says: “After considering all the material in the said confession (confession of Salem being not proved in the present prosecution, in view of his case being separated) makes it difficult to come to conclusion of A-117 having asked or having received and having kept with him any hand grenades.”In consonance with Dutt’s stand that he had acquired the weapons for the sake of self-defence and protection of his family and not for terrorist activity, the court acquits him of all TADA charges. The court also gives him the benefit of doubt on the point raised by the prosecution that he had enough weapons to defend himself. “.Experience shows that different human beings do behave in different manners in similar set of circumstances.” Clad in a blue shirt and blue denim jeans, Dutt, speaking to journalists after he signed on the required papers, said: “I wish I am home by Diwali.” His lawyer Satish Maneshinde requested the court that Dutt wanted to speak to his daughter Trishala who is studying in New York and his sister Priya, who has just given birth to a child. The court allowed Dutt to speak to his daughter only “on humanitarian grounds”. Dutt also requested to be sent to Yerawada jail where he was lodged last time. Kode, however, said he would send him to Arthur Road jail. “The superintendent will decide where he is sent,” he said. Dutt’s lawyers are planning to file the appeal by Friday. “We are planning to file the appeal by Friday and are hoping that it comes up on board by November 2,” said his lawyer Karan Singh. Singh explained that they have to type out the entire judgment as per the format prescribed by the apex court. Each copy of the judgment, which is currently 4,340 pages, will become about 10,000 pages. The party has to submit nine copies of the appeal with an attached copy of the judgment to the apex court.
