Will his confession go against him?

Sanjay Dutt’s greatest undoing could be his seven-page confessional statement in which he owned up to receiving  arms and asking his co-accused to destroy the weapons.

Though the actor retracted his confession as having been made under duress, under the Tada law, a retracted statement can still be used as evidence against the accused. Dated April 28, 1993, the confession was recorded by DCP KL Bishnoi. So far, Judge PD Kode has not disregarded a single confession recorded by the upright officer. Excerpts from Dutt’s confession:

“During the riots my father (Sunil Dutt) did relief work helping Muslims. We got threatening calls. I mentioned my insecurity to Hanif Kadawala and Sameer Hingora, who said they could arrange for arms to be delivered to me. On Jan 16, 1993, they came with Salem and left three AK 56 rifles, its ammunition and 25 hand grenades. I kept one rifle, some ammunition and returned the rest two days later.

After the riots, I asked Hanif to take away the rifle I had. When he showed no inclination I stopped giving them dates for any shoots...

After the riots were over I thought of informing the police about the weapons. But due to fear of getting reprimanded from my father or spoiling the prestige and name of my family I kept the weapons as it is.

April 2, 1993, I left for Mauritius to shoot for Aatish. I was informed that Hanif and Samir had been arrested. I got frightened. I contacted Yusuf Nulwalla on telephone and told him that something was lying in a black bag kept in the hall at the second floor of my house and it should be taken away and the things inside should be destroyed completely.Otherwise I shall be in great trouble.

By this time the news of my possessing an AK 56 rifle had appeared in the press...”