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Sanjay Dutt taken to Arthur Road jail

Sanjay Dutt made an emotional plea for more time to surrender to the special court that awarded him a six-year prison term in the 1993 blasts case.

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MUMBAI: Sanjay Dutt's plea seeking time to surrender after he was given a six-year jail term in the 1993 serial blasts case on Tuesday was rejected by a special court that said he should be held in a separate cell in the Arthur Road Jail.

The court said it would hear on August 2 another application filed by Dutt seeking to be kept at the Arthur Road Prison in central Mumbai and not to be sent to a jail in another part of the state like the other convicts in the case.

Judge P D Kode also allowed the star to meet family members and close friends and to speak to his daughter Trishala who lives in the US.

Dutt was convicted under the Arms Act for illegal possession of an AK-56 assault rifle and a 9mm pistol.

The actor told the court he felt he would get the benefit of the Probation of Offenders Act (POA) and his sentence would be waived, and hence he wanted to make certain arrangements before he was sent to jail.

"You (Judge Kode) are more than family for all of us," Dutt said.

However, Kode said it was not a personal matter and he was only doing his duty to uphold the law.

"I have seen you in the last 10 years and exempted you by giving concessions in all matters. You have utilised the time to the best and shot for movies, doing remarkably well in the film line. Don't be sentimental, be calm and quiet," Kode remarked.

Hearing this, Dutt said he feared for his and associate Yusuf Nulwalla's safety and asked that they be kept in the Arthur Road Jail.

The court granted this request and directed that they be kept in separate cells.

Earlier, Dutt had made an emotional plea for more time to surrender to the special court that awarded him a six-year prison term in the 1993 blasts case.

Dutt asked for permission to speak in the court and went to the witness box with folded hands.

"Sir, I made a mistake 14 years ago. Please give me some time to surrender," he said.

Judge PD Kode of the special TADA court replied, "Everybody makes mistakes." He said he could not grant more time to Dutt to surrender under the law.

Dutt was convicted for the illegal possession of a 9mm pistol and an AK-56 rifle.

When Dutt's counsel Satish Maneshinde tried to point out that his client's conduct had been excellent throughout, Kode asked Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam for his opinion on this matter.

"I appreciate his conduct but there is a legal restraint that a person sentenced to more than three years in prison cannot be granted an extension of bail," Nikam said.

Defence counsel Farhana Shah sought time to argue on granting Dutt time to surrender and the court adjourned the matter till 2.45 pm.

Dutt also asked that he should not be surrounded by police during the adjournment, following which the court directed policemen to maintain some distance from him.

On his way out the court, Dutt shook hands with Nikam and said, "Thank you, sir."

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