1993 Bombay blasts: SC to hear Sanjay Dutt's plea today

New Delhi: It is the D-Day for actor Sanjay Dutt, who has sought more time from the Supreme Court to surrender in the 1993 Bombay blasts case. The court will on Wednesday hear the actor's plea seeking six months to surrender after being convicted under the Arms Act.

Sanjay Dutt, who has been asked to surrender by April 18, has claimed he needs some more time to surrender in order to complete his pending projects. The actor, convicted under the Arms Act in the blasts case, had argued that he was a young man in 1993 and has done a lot of social work since then and so leniency should be shown towards him.

The Supreme Court had on March 21, 2013, upheld Dutt's conviction in the 1993 Bombay blasts case but his jail sentence was reduced from six to five years. He along with other convicts were given four weeks (April 18) to surrender. Sanjay Dutt has already served 18 months in jail and has to serve the remaining 3.5 years in jail.

Earlier on Tuesday, the apex court refused to extend time for surrender for Zaibunissa Kazi and two others convicted in the blasts case. The Supreme Court directed them to surrender by April 18.

Zaibunissa had argued that her punishment should be kept in abeyance until the Maharashtra governor or the President of India decides on pardon. 71-year-old Zaibunissa's sentence of five years by the Bombay High court was upheld by the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court had said that all convicts should surrender within four weeks of its upholding the Bombay High Court judgement.

Zaibunisa was charged for possessing illegal arms and ammunition and also under the stringent TADA Act. Former Supreme Court judge and Press Council of India chief Markandey Katju had made a representation to the President on behalf of Kazi on March 18 and on behalf of other two on April 10.

Meanwhile, lawyers have filed a petition on behalf of sanjay Dutt, Zaibunissa Kazi and and two 80-year-olds asking for their prison terms to be kept in abeyance till the Maharashtra Governor or the President of India decide on their petitions seeking pardon.