Nayak or Khalnayak? Dutt’s fate hangs in balance

MUMBAI: Riding on the Gandhigiri wave following the success of his film Lage Raho Munnabhai, actor Sanjay Dutt is eagerly awaiting the verdict of a special court here on his alleged complicity in the 1993 Mumbai bomb blasts.

The TADA court, which has already decided the fate of 81 accused, is expected to deliver its verdict on Sanjay and others facing similar charges next week, court sources told PTI. The actor has been accused of possessing an AK-56 rifle and destroying it.

Around Rs 100 crore is at stake on Sanjay in Bollywood, and the actor has stopped going for film shoots since August. He had been doing only dubbing since then, film sources said. Arrested in 1993 at a time when his career was on an upswing, Sanjay was booked for possessing an AK-56 rifle that had come in a consignment of arms and explosives meant for use in serial blasts that killed 257 people here.

The year proved unforgettable for the son of veteran actor Sunil Dutt, and Sanjay spent nearly 16 months in jail while his personal and professional life went into great turmoil. Sanjay was in Mauritius shooting his film Khalnayak when he was summoned by the police to Mumbai and placed under arrest on his arrival at Sahar airport. Though the film proved to be a great hit, the tag of Khalnayak (villain) shadowed Sanjay for years to come.

The actor reportedly telephoned then Mumbai police chief Amarjeet Samra soon after his named cropped up in the probe, and claimed that he had no role in the blasts. Mr Samra asked Sanjay to appear before the police and clarify his stand. Sanjay arrived in Mumbai from Mauritius on April 19, 1993, only to be picked up by the police. He was taken to the crime branch office where he was grilled for over six hours by then DCP Rakesh Maria.

The actor, who had till then maintained innocence, reportedly broke down after he was confronted with statements of Sameer Hingora and Hanif Kadawala about his alleged role in accepting weapons. It was alleged that blast accused Sameer, Abu Salem and Baba Chavan delivered to Sanjay three AK-56 rifles and grenades from the consignment that was meant for the subsequent blasts.

After his arrest on April 19, Sanjay spent the next year and four months as an ordinary prisoner, sleeping on rough jail bedsheets and spending time with inmates like petty criminals.

From jail, Sanjay wrote a letter to the chief justice of the Supreme Court, which was taken up as a writ by the apex court and bail was granted to him on the condition that he would attend the TADA court proceedings every day.

The Shiv Sena, which was highly critical of the Dutts after Sanjay’s arrest, mellowed down after Sanjay’s father and then MP, Sunil Dutt intervened. Sena workers, who disrupted screenings of Sanjay’s movie Khalnayak, later blunted their attack after Sena chief Bal Thackeray expressed sympathy with Sanjay.

On the day he was released on bail, Sanjay did two things. One, he visited the Siddhivinayak temple, and second, he met the Sena chief and expressed his gratitude. So charged was Sanjay with emotions that he even offered to work for the Sena and contest polls. Thackeray, instead, advised Sanjay to continue in films.