Fans’ prayers go unheeded

Calm descended on the Pali Hill residence of the actor Sanjay Dutt as the news trickled in. Neighbours and friends reacted in shock and anger, saying the sentence on their beloved ‘Munnabhai’ was harsh.

From 8.30am, the actor’s close friends like Sanjay Gupta, Hansal Mehta, and Bunty Walia voiced their support for Dutt. MLA Baba Siddiqui was also present to give moral support.

At around 9.45, the actor walked down his building Imperial Heights and drove to the TADA court. The Dutt household got emotional as Sanjay hugged friends and relatives. Some fans stopped his car to offer him flowers, amulets and tilak.

Untill 1pm, when news broke that Rusi Mulla, a co accused was let off under the Probation of Offenders Act, things looked optimistic. But, as the court sentenced Dutt, faces fell.

A teenager, staying opposite the actor’s residence, Sanskara Lalwani, said, “I have met with him in the past and we also had bit conversations.”

By evening, friends and relatives, who accompanied Dutt to the court, returned shattered and chose not to speak to the media. Meanwhile, the Khar police posted over 40 policemen around his residence to avoid any untoward incident.