Actor Sanjay Dutt on Monday moved the Supreme Court, seeking more time to surrender to serve the remaining three-and-half-year jail term for illegally possessing firearms in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case.
He filed the petition as the four-week time granted by the court for his surrender ends this week. He pleaded that he be granted more time to surrender in order to complete his film projects as huge money had been invested by producers.
On March 21, the court asked the actor, who has already been in jail for 18 months, to surrender within four weeks to undergo the remaining prison term.
Other convicts — Zaibunisha Anwar Kazi, Issaq Mohd. Hajwane and Shariff Abdul Gafoor Parker alias Dadabhai — also approached the court for extension of time to surrender until their clemency plea was decided by the President.
Press Council of India Chairman Markandey Katju made a representation to the President on behalf of Kazi on March 18 and on behalf of the other two on April 10.
The Supreme Court had, on March 21, upheld a TADA court verdict awarding five-year jail to Kazi, 70, who is suffering from cancer.
Hajwane, 76, was sentenced to life by the apex court, which enhanced his five-year jail term awarded by the trial court. He spent five years in jail during the trial.
The life sentence awarded by the TADA court to Parker, 88, was upheld by the apex court. He had served over 14 years in jail. Their petitions would be taken up for hearing on Tuesday
