Mumbai blasts: Sanjay need not be present in court

Granting Sanjay Dutt and 84 other accused in the ’93 serial blast case exemption from personal appearance till July 27, a TADA court today asked them to appear without fail on that date. The court also deferred till July 21 extradited gangster Abu Salem’s trial, which it has separated from that of the other accused, and asked CBI to file its schedule for examining witnesses against Salem by July 21. Dutt and others had sought exemption through their lawyer Farhana Shah. The designated Judge P D Kode granting them exemption. Charges against Dutt are that he possessed an AK-56 rifle which he later destroyed with the help of friends. The actor denied the allegation and witnesses have also not supported the prosecution.