Justice Katju bats for Sanjay Dutt, says he is not a terrorist

Press Council of India chief Justice Markandey Katju today said that he appealed for Sanjay Dutt's pardon in the 1993 Mumbai blasts case on humanitarian grounds adding that he wasn't questioning the SC verdict.

Press Council of India Justice Markandey Katju Friday said that he appealed for Sanjay Dutt's pardon in the 1993 Mumbai blasts case on humanitarian grounds and said that he wasn't questioning the Supreme Court verdict.

Katju sought pardon for Dutt under Article 161 of the Constitution saying that he had not been found guilty of having played a role in the 1993 blasts and had suffered a lot.

"I am raising this as a citizen not as Retired Supreme Court judge," Katju said.

Pitching for the actor, Katju said that Dutt has promoted Gandhian philosophy in the film Munnabhai and has has already suffered enough.

"I am not going on the judicial side but I am going on the side of pardon where the reasons are different," Katju said.

He also said that Dutt's parents have done social service adding that the actor hasn't been found to be involved in a terror act.

"I am not a fan of Sanjay Dutt and have not seen a film for the last 40 years."