CBI may oppose Sanjay Dutt's plea in SC

CBI is likely to oppose in Supreme Court the petition of Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt, who is seeking suspension of his conviction in connection with 1993 Mumbai serial blasts to contest coming Lok Sabha polls.

CBI is likely to oppose in Supreme Court the petition of Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt, who is seeking suspension of his conviction in connection with 1993 Mumbai serial blasts to contest coming Lok Sabha polls.

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The petition will come up for hearing in the apex court on March 30 as a Bench headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan issued notice to the CBI and sought its reply on the plea of Dutt.

Dutt is the Samajwadi Party candidate from the Lucknow parliamentary seat. CBI sources said the prosecution department of the agency was in favour of opposing the plea as it did not want to set any precedence.

Dutt was held guilty under the Arms Act by a Mumbai TADA Court which has sentenced him to six years of imprisonment in July 2007. The Bollywood star has spent 18 months in jail during the pendency of the trial.

The actor sought suspension of the conviction on the grounds which were considered by the apex court while staying the conviction of BJP leader Navjot Singh Sidhu in a road rage death case.

Dutt, 50, has pleaded with the apex court to consider the fact that he was absolved of the serious offence under TADA and there was not a single case registered against him before the Mumbai blasts.