Mumbai: Bollywood star Sanjay Dutt faces his judgement day in the 1993 serial blasts trial tomorrow, but the special TADA court is unlikely to pronounce the sentence for him on Friday, court sources said.
Dutt, who spent nearly 16 months as an under-trial before being released in 1996 on bail, has been convicted for keeping an AK-56 rifle and a 9-mm pistol, which were part of the arms consignment used in the blasts.
While he has been found guilty of illegal possession of arms, the court has absolved him of the more serious charges of conspiracy.
Dutt has appealed for relief under the Probation of Offenders Act, which permits courts to release a person convicted of offences not punishable by death or life sentence.
"It is unlikely that the sentence for Dutt will be given tomorrow," special public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam told reporters following proceedings in the court on Thursday. The court had earlier summoned Dutt to appear before it on Friday.
Dutt has applied under the Probation of Offenders Act seeking exemption from a prison term. Under the Probation of Offenders Act, the court can release a person convicted of offences not punishable by death or life sentence.
The court has asked for reports from the probation officer concerned, but has not disclosed the names of the convicts whose data it had sought. Other accused have also applied under the same Act as Dutt, seeking an exemption of prison term.
"The court has not yet received any report from the probation officer and they could take some time due to which the judgement on the application may not be given on Friday," Nikam said.
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