New Delhi: Unruly scenes prevailed at the Special TADA court premises in Mumbai on Tuesday hours before Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt was to surrender before the court at the end of his extended bail period.
The chaos occurred when relatives of other accused in the 1993 Mumbai serial blast case created a ruckus, demanding that their convicted kith and kin and other accused who have been booked under similar sections be meted out the same treatment as that of Sanjay Dutt.
Police had to use force to disperse the crowd. The cops also detained five people following the disturbance.
Most of the people detained were burqa clad women relatives of those convicted for their role in the serial blasts on March 12, 1993, in which at least 257 people were killed.
They had gathered outside the special Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Preventive) Acts (TADA) court stating that their kin had been unfairly treated.
"When our relatives have been asked to surrender, how can Sanjay get away so easily for the same offence?" asked a close associate of one of the convicts.
Meanwhile, inside the court, an intervening application against Dutt's appeal - that he should be released on bond of assurance of good conduct under Probation of Offenders Act - was filed.
The name of the applicant of the 16-page intervening application has not been disclosed .
The decision on it will be taken after Dutt's lawyer finishes his argument.
The Bollywood actor was convicted on November 28, 2006 under the Arms Act. He is likely to surrender before the Special TADA court in Mumbai on Tuesday at the end of the bail extension granted to him by the court earlier on January 15.
This was Dutt's third extension after being found guilty under the Arms Act on 28 November, 2006, in the 1993 serial blasts case.
The defence and prosecution in the case would also begin arguments on Tuesday on Dutt’s plea for his release on probation. The Bollywood star had filed an application under the Probation of Offenders Act 1958 on January 15, pleading the court to release him on probation.
Along with his petition, Dutt had submitted affidavits from four eminent citizens – including actor Dilip Kumar, former sheriff Nana Chaudasma, child activist Vipula Kadri and anti-drugs activist Dr Yusuf Merchant – to strengthen his claim of good conduct. All of them had vouched for his good behaviour and commitment towards social welfare.
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