Supreme Court to hear Sanjay Dutts bail plea on August 20

The Supreme Court on Friday issued notice to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and deferred the hearing of the interim bail application of Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt to August 20.

New Delhi, Aug 10 : The Supreme Court on Friday issued notice to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and deferred the hearing of the interim bail application of Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt to August 20.

A bench headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan, who heard the matter, said: "We are not going to pass any order now, and we want to follow uniform approach".

On Thursday, Senior Counsel Fali S Nariman had made a special mention of Dutt's bail application before a Bench and asked for an urgent hearing on the matter.

Dutt's bail petition was filed in the apex court on Tuesday, challenging his sentence given by a special Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA) court, and seeking an interim bail. Dutt's lawyers' contended that Dutt's conviction under the Arms Act was wrong because no weapons were recovered from him. They also say that Dutt's conviction was based on a confessional statement, which he later retracted. The CBI has said it would oppose the apex court plea.

The Dutt family is challenging the judgement given by a special TADA court in Mumbai for the illegal possession of arms on July 31.Earlier in the day, the apex court issued notice to the CBI on the bail petition and an appeal file by Ibrahim Musa Chauhan, who has been sentenced for ten years imprisonment in the Mumbai serial blasts case.

Ibrahim Musa Chauhan alias Baba Chauhan has been convicted for supplying AK-56 rifles, and hand grenades to Sanjay Dutt.

Sanjay's friend Chauhan has been found guilty under TADA and the Arms Act.

ANI