93 Mumbai Blast: SC says no discrimination against accused

New Delhi, Aug 09: The Supreme Court today assured that there will be no discrimination in dealing with the Mumbai bomb blasts accused, and agreed to hear the bail plea of Aziz Ahmed Mohammad Shaikh, who was convicted for five years under the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA).

Giving this assurance to Ahmed's counsel, Justice B N Aggarwal said the bail plea would be heard on Friday.

Sanjay Dutt's bail petition was filed in the apex court on Tuesday, challenging his sentence of six-years of rigorous imprisonment given by a special TADA court under the Arms Act and seeking interim bail.

Dutt's lawyers' have 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.

Special Judge P D Kode sentenced Dutt to six years imprisonment in prison and fined him Rupees 25,000.

Dutt has already spent nearly 16 months in prison before his release on bail in 1996.

ANI