The Hindu : Front Page : I am bound by duty, Judge tells Sanjay

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Aug 01, 2007
ePaper

Front Page

Front Page

I am bound by duty, Judge tells Sanjay

Staff Reporter

“You are not a terrorist, you know what you have done and I have punished you for that”

MUMBAI: On the last day of the 14-year-long trial, Sanjay Dutt walked into the TADA court amid high security. There were several emotional moments for the 48-year-old Dutt as he was greeted at his residence by fans wishing him luck and over-crowded media barricades at the court.

Dressed in a white shirt and denims he wore gold chains and green prayer beads around his neck. He sat with his friends Russi Mulla,Yusuf Nulwalla and Kersi Adjania and appeared nervous as he stared at the steady drizzle from the window and gulping some tablets. He looked tense as he listened to the explanation by Judge P.D. Kode for rejecting his probation application. After he was sentenced he looked distraught. He did not say a word and his face betrayed his anguish. He came forward to speak to the Judge and requested for time to surrender. However, the Judge said it was not in his hands to give him any further concessions.

Dutt, with his head lowered, said, “Sir you have known me better than my family in the last 14 years.” The Judge kept the probation matter for the post-lunch session.

When the hearing on it resumed, Dutt repeated, “Sir you are like family. I thought I would get probation and did not settle family matters.” Judge Kode replied, “In the last 10 years I have given you concessions and now I cannot. Do you want me to commit an illegal act by doing so?” Dutt replied that he was only making a request. Later they filed applications for him to speak to his daughter in the U.S., meet his relatives and be lodged in the Arthur Road Jail.

His sisters Priya Dutt and Namrata Dutt had come with his brothers-in-law Owen Roncon and Kumar Gaurav and Dutt’s associate. Dutt was seen sobbing on the phone. He was taken for court formalities and did not speak to the media during this time. While he was still with his family members his lawyer Farhana Shah called him saying the Judge would like to meet him.

Judge Kode, just before closing time, told Dutt that he should not lose faith in himself.

He said, “As I have told you earlier at the time of conviction you are not a terrorist. You know what you have done and I have punished you for that. I am bound by duty.”

Sanjay, who was nodding throughout to what the judge said, he needed his blessings and then was led away by the police personnel protecting him from the media.

The courtroom, made especially for the 1993 blasts trial on the premises of the Arthur Road jail, was packed with journalists and some had to sit in the area marked for the accused at the back. The main road was cordoned off and extra police personnel were deployed.

Judge Kode, whose hand is still in sling, signalled the end of the trial by acknowledging the efforts of the investigating agency, Special Public Prosecutor Ujjwal Nikam, his court staff, and the contribution of the media. He made a special mention of advocate Farhana Shah and Subhash Kanse who have attended the court for all the 13 years. As the mediapersons remained on the premises till late evening, the court and police staff remarked this would be the last day that the premises would witness such drama.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Front Page