MUMBAI, 25 November 2006 — An anti-terror court is expected to deliver its verdict next week on a top Bollywood actor facing charges of involvement in the 1993 Mumbai bombings, the public prosecutor said yesterday.
Sanjay Dutt is charged with conspiracy, illegal possession of arms and trying to destroy evidence in connection with the serial blasts in which 257 people were killed and hundreds wounded.
“There are five charges against Sanjay Dutt. We have to see what the court says,” public prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam said. He said the court of P.D. Kode was expected to begin giving its verdict on a group of nine people that includes Sanjay on Monday, but the order against the actor could come the next day.
Nikam refused to comment on the punishment the actor could get if found guilty.
Yesterday, the court held Sardar Shah Wali Khan and Altaf Ali Sayed, two close aides to prime conspirator Yaqub alias Tiger Memon, guilty of involvement in the serial blasts. Sardar Shah was convicted of assisting Memon in triggering blasts in several parts of Mumbai, while Altaf Ali was convicted of making air travel arrangements for 13 co-accused for a trip to Pakistan for arms training.
The Mumbai court has so far found 83 people, mostly Muslims, guilty among the 123 accused of the bombings.
— Additional input from Reuters
