MUMBAI – Amid a growing clamour for his clemency, actor Sanjay Dutt, who has been ordered by the Supreme Court to return to jail in the 1993 Mumbai blasts case, today broke his silence and said he was not seeking pardon and will surrender within the stipulated deadline.
The apex court had upheld his conviction under the Arms Act on March 21 and gave him four weeks time to surrender. “All I can tell you is I have not applied for pardon,” an emotional Dutt, who broke down repeatedly, told reporters.
“There are many other people who deserve pardon. I want to tell with folded hands to the media, the honourable citizens of the country that when I am not going for pardon, then there can be no debate about it,” the 53-year-old, accompanied by his sister and Congress MP Priya Dutt, said.
The actor said he would stick to the terms and conditions put forth by the court. “The honourable Supreme Court has given me time to surrender and I will surrender in that time… Thank you for supporting me… I have the highest respect for the Supreme Court. I will abide by the conditions put on me by the Supreme Court. I will surrender on time,” Dutt said.
As he has already served 18 months in jail, he would have to undergo imprisonment for three-and-a-half-years. He said he wanted to use the time till his surrender to complete pending films.
