Police could have averted 1993 blasts: SC

New Delhi: The Supreme Court Thursday said the Mumbai blasts could have been averted if Mumbai police had prevented its personnel from conniving in the smuggling of arms, explosives, contraband and bribery in 1993. 

"If Bombay police officials had been able to curtail the conveyance of the contraband in January and February 1993, the occurrence of the March 12, 1993, could have been avoided," the apex court bench of Justice P Sathasivam and Justice BS Chauhan said in their judgment on cross-appeals by the convicted and Maharashtra government in the blast cases. 

While upholding the death sentence of Yakub Abdul Razak Memon, the court commuted the death sentence of 10 others. The apex court also upheld the conviction of Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt under the Arms Act in the terror attack and sent him to five years in prison. 

Reminding Mumbai police of its duties and obligations, the court said: "Police officials are the foundation for the existence of the rule of law. If they collapse, the whole system breaks down. Hence, they have sensitive responsibility to defend the safety and security of the people at all times." 

"Unfortunately, in the present case, police officers themselves had taken active part in smuggling and transportation of arms and explosives in Bombay," the court said. 

Pointing out that the explosive devices could be "manufactured, transported, handled and fitted with a variety of unsuspecting objects multiplying their potential manifold", the court said that "police have a specific and special role, a duty and a responsibility, to curb the conveyance of explosives by vigilant patrolling and search and seizure, if required". 

The court said that "Section 20 of the Arms Act, 1959, empowers them (police) to arrest persons conveying any arms or ammunitions under suspicious circumstances". 

Italy wants special court to try marines in India....

New Delhi: Two Italian marines on bail were back in India after India assured Italy that the death penalty would not apply in their case, Italian Deputy Foreign Minister Staffan de Mistura said here on Friday. 

"The solution was triggered off by an official letter from the Indian authorities Thursday afternoon guaranteeing there will be no death penalty in this case," Mistura told reporters at a news conference after meeting External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid. 

"The death penalty is a serious issue for us. The government should set up a special court and expedite proceedings," he said.

"The marines are at our embassy," he said. 

According to Mistura, the two Italian marines were in international waters when the firing incident - in which two Indian fishermen were killed - took place and were liable to be judged in their own country.

"A potential diplomatic crisis has been avoided," he said. 

Can`t tell if Sachin has played his last Test in India: Gavaskar...

New Delhi: Former captain Sunil Gavaskar today said that he can`t predict whether Sachin Tendulkar has played his last Test on Indian soil in the ongoing fourth and final match against Australia here.

"You never know. From 2006-07, there has been this talk of Tendulkar`s retirement going on. But he has been playing the same way," Gavaskar said.

"Only he (Tendulkar) would know this," he said when asked if Tendulkar has played his last Test on Indian soil at the Feroz Shah Kotla here, considering that the team would mainly play outside the country in the next 12 months.

Gavaskar said Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni would not be unhappy for losing the toss in all the four matches of the Test series against Australia.

"At hindsight, Dhoni would not be complaining. He lost the toss in all the three earlier Tests in the series and today also he lost the toss. But India won all the three matches and so he would not be complaining," Gavaskar was quoted as saying.

He also felt that India were in a good position on the opening day of the final Test here.

"230-odd runs for eight wickets on first day would not be intimidating on India. Because, India have batted well this series; every innings has been an impact innings, be that of Dhoni (in the first match), Pujara (in second) and Shikhar Dhawan in third.

"So, India would not be too worried after the first day`s play," Gavaskar said. 

Ganguly wants India to win home and abroad...

Hyderabad: Having re-established their hegemony in the familiar environs of home with three successive Test wins against Australia, India should strive to once again become a force to reckon with in the alien conditions abroad, feels former captain Sourav Ganguly.

Observing that teams like England and South Africa perform well both at home and abroad, Ganguly hoped India would also become strong enough in all conditions.

"England does well home and away. England won here when they came to India. South Africa does well. Sri Lanka does well. So, we will have to wait and see. It is too early to say. We want India to do well (at) home and away. That`s very important for us.
"That`s what we have done in the last 10 and 11 years. Hopefully, we will become a team which is once again doing well home and overseas. As I said, it is a young team which needed a little bit of time. But, that`s what we want our team to be," Ganguly said.

Ganguly said a 4-0 whitewash of Australia in the ongoing Test series will be a ‘good thing’ for the Indian cricket team after suffering a similar fate Down Under last year.

"See... Don`t expect in cricket. Hopefully, they do it. It will be a good thing for them. Because when they went to Australia last year, it was 0-4 and winning 4-0 here would be a satisfying thing for the team," Ganguly said.

"Having said that, they will have to play well. It is not an easy wicket at the Feroz Shah Kotla. Hopefully, India will play well as they have done in the last three Test matches," he told reporters at a commercial event.

India lead the series 3-0 after convincing wins in Chennai, Hyderabad and Mohali.

Asked whether India would be able to continue their successful run, he said the present side comprised young players who need time to settle down.

"Hopefully... We want Indian cricket to reach that stage. They played well in the series. They also had a tough time in the last 20-22 months. We also have to understand that it is a young team, a lot of young players are coming in, it’s a change which is underway.”

"Our own great V V S Laxman has retired, Rahul Dravid is gone. People like us, Kumble have finished. It is a new team, new players. You will have to allow them to settle down and hopefully, we will get back to Indian cricket as it was a couple of years ago," he said.

Asked how he would rate the teams in the Indian Premier League (IPL), which starts next month, he said T20 cricket is quite unpredictable as different teams have sprang up surprises in the past.

"It is always fun. Playing the IPL and watching it. It is difficult to say who will win in T20. Every year has thrown up a new champion. It`s Knight Riders last year. You got a new side here (Hyderabad), the Sunrisers, I wish them luck.”

They have a good side. Unfortunately, their star Shikhar Dhawan is injured. Hopefully, he recovers. You never know in IPL, who will spring a surprise. Hopefully, we have a good tournament as it has been for the past five years," he said. 

Smith`s wicket was more satisfying: Ashwin....

New Delhi: Indian off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin termed his delivery to dismiss Steven Smith as a more ‘satisfying one’ compared to the one that helped him get rid of Mitchell Johnson on the opening day of the fourth and final Test against Australia here on Friday.

"I believe getting Smith out was more satisfying. In case of Johnson, it was an error of judgement on his part that helped me get his wicket," Ashwin, who had best figures of 4-40 on the day, answered to one of the four questions that were asked to him.

To a query about how different the Kotla strip was in comparison to the Chepauk pitch, he answered with his now customary swagger."That`s red soil and this is black soil!" adding, "It`s always evident that on black soil the ball doesn`t bounce as much as on the red soil."

Asked about the assistance one got from the wicket today, he replied, "If there are spots on the wicket, then one shouldn`t get carried away as margin of error is very less. One shouldn`t try too many things from back of the hand."

In all the Tests so far, the Aussie tail has wagged but Ashwin differed in his stance.

"I don`t think that has been a problem (wiping off the tail). They have batted pretty well. We have to stick to our guns and see what happens. In different scenarios, different teams do well and that era is over when tail-enders would come, slog and get out. Pattison has an average of 30," he answered.

Ashwin`s media interaction, which lasted little less than three minutes, was the shortest in the recent times as he managed to beat Bhuvneshwar Kumar`s press meet on the first day of the Hyderabad Test. Kumar`s conference lasted around five minutes.

Cracking Kotla pitch back in the news....

New Delhi: The pitch at the Feroz Shah Kotla is in the news again. It has shown signs of cracking on day one of the fourth Test between India and Australia. The experts do not see the match lasting the full five days.

Indian spinners got good purchase of the surface Friday with the Australians unable to adjust to the variable bounce. Like they did right through the series, Ravichandran Ashwin, Pragyan Ojha and Ravindra Jadeja kept the Australian batsmen guessing.

Eyebrows were raised when a good length ball from speedster Ishant Sharma rose sharply off the cracks to find the grill of Phil Hughes`s helmet. The incident played on the Australian`s mind and in the same over he played on. 
"At the start of the match, it looked like a three-day wicket to me, but the cracks are opening up already," said Raja.

"It would be too early to predict the nature of the pitch. There are cracks, which will provide good turn to the spinners. We need to wait and see before commenting on its nature." 

The Kotla pitch has been a subject of debate ever since an ODI in 2009 featuring India and Sri Lanka was abandoned as it was deemed "dangerous and unplayable". Following this, Kotla was taken off the international circuit by the ICC and banned for international matches. 

Curator Venkat Sundaram was unavailable for a comment.

India vs Australia Delhi Test, Day 1: Spinners put hosts on top...

New Delhi: India's quest for a historic clean sweep started on a good note as the host spinners continued their dominance over Australia to take the honours on the opening day of the fourth and final cricket Test here on Friday.

SCORECARD» I COMMENTARY» I AS IT HAPPENED»

Australia, sans their injured skipper Michael Clarke, managed 231 for eight at stumps on the first day after opting to bat on a dodgy Feroze Shah Kotla strip.

The visitors' total was given a semblance of respectability by the 53-run eight-wicket partnership between Steven Smith and Peter Siddle followed by an unbroken 43-run ninth-wicket stand between Siddle and James Pattinson.

Phillip Hughes, with a quick fire 45 in the top-order, and Steven Smith, with a patient 46 in the middle-order, were the two major contributors.

The gutsy Siddle (47 batting) also fought hard, adding some crucial runs with Pattinson.

Ravichandran Ashwin (4/40) was the wrecker-in-chief and was ably complemented by Ravindra Jadeja (2/34) and Ishant Sharma (2/35).

If the first day's pitch was any indication, the match is unlikely to go into the fifth day as the considerable wear and tear made life difficult for the Aussie batsmen, majority of whom didn't seem to possess the requisite technique to counter the questions asked by the Jadeja-Ashwin duo.

After Ishant provided a couple of breakthroughs in the opening session, Ashwin and Jadeja ripped through the middle-order in the post-lunch session, helped by some atrocious shot selection on part of the opposition batsmen.

From a relatively secure 94 for two at lunch, the visitors suddenly looked in a hurry and paid dearly for their indiscretion losing wickets in a heap.

Credit should also be given to India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni for rotating his bowlers successfully. He frequently changed the ends from which each one of them operated, thereby making life difficult for the batsmen.

Ed Cowan (37) did all the hard work surviving the dangerous first session playing and missing on a number of occasions. Just when he looked set, Cowan went for a sweep shot and was bowled round his legs.

Leading the side, Shane Watson didn't impress on his Test captaincy debut. Having survived a stumping appeal in the first session, the all-rounder was removed by a typical left-arm spinner's delivery from Ravindra Jadeja.

The delivery pitched on the leg-middle as he drew Watson forward and the stand-in captain was beaten comprehensively while trying to whip the delivery through mid-wicket.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni whipped off the bails in a flash. Watson made 17.

Matthew Wade (2) was caught by the silly point fielder to give Ashwin his second wicket while IPL's newest 'million dollar' man Glenn Maxwell gave Jadeja the charge to offer a simple catch to Ishant at mid-on.

Mitchell Johnson had no clue about Ashwin's carrom ball, failing to offer a stroke thinking that the ball would spin away. To his utter surprise, it spun back sharply to hit the off-stump.

From a relatively decent 106 for two, the Aussies were left gasping for breath at 136 for seven, and the writing was on the wall.

However, Smith and Siddle added 53 runs for the eighth wicket to stem the rot. Smith hit two huge sixes off Pragyan Ojha during his 145-ball innings.

In the morning session, Ishant, who had yesterday spoken about him being more effective with the old ball, decided to prove himself 'wrong' as he got a couple scalps early on. 

For a change, Ishant got a wicket in his very first over
with a fullish delivery outside the off-stump which Warner played away from his body with minimal feet movement.

Virat Kohli, standing at second slip, finally held onto a catch, having missed a couple of chances in Mohali.

While Ishant and his new ball partner Buvneshwar Kumar bowled well in tandem but the track, prepared by curator Venkat Sundaram, also helped their cause to some extent.

Hughes, who found some form going his way during the second inning in Mohali, took the attacking route knowing well that playing a game of survival would be difficult on this track. He hit 10 boundaries in his 59-ball 45.

The left-hander hit some flowing cover drives off both Bhuvneshwar and Ishant. He dispatched a lot of length deliveries to the boundary but somehow never looked set, which was partly due to the nature of the pitch. Even some of the deliveries bowled by Ashwin rose awkwardly and frequently hit the handle of the bat.

In fact, before his dismissal in the 21st over, Ishant softened up Hughes with a delivery that took off from short of a good length spot and hit him flush on the grill of his helmet. The delivery unnerved Hughes big time and two balls later, a delivery that landed on the same spot kept low and the batsman played on.

Cowan and Hughes added 67 runs for the second wicket, which was the lone bright spot in another disappointing show by Australia's top-order.

Brief scores: 

Australia: 231 for eight in 98 overs (Peter Siddle 47 not out, Steven Smith 46, Phil Hughes 45, Ed Cowan 38; Ravichandran Ashwin 4/40, Ravindra Jadeja 2/34, Ishant Sharma 2/35). 

Guv will use discretionary powers if Dutt appeals: Minister

New Delhi: With Press Council chief Markandey Katju asking Maharashtra Governor to pardon film star Sanjay Dutt in 1993 Mumbai blasts case, government on Friday indicated that the matter will be looked into and an "appropriate" decision taken once such a plea is made by the actor. 

"Governor will use his discretionary power when there will be an appeal to him. He has the power to pardon. We should not comment on it," Law Minister Aswini Kumar said. 

Information and Broadcasting Minister Manish Tewari said the authorities will take cognisance of the matter at the appropriate level. 

"Justice Katju has been a very eminent judge of the Supreme Court. Whenever he articulates a position on an issue, people both inside and outside the government listen to it carefully," Tewari told reporters outside Parliament. 

"But there are various aspects to the issue and I am sure that those people within government whether at the state government or level of various other instrumentalities of government, who are seized with the responsibility of dealing with the issue, take the cognizance of the statement and then, if required, formulate an appropriate response and then come back." 

In a letter to Maharashtra Governor K Sankarnarayanan, Justice Katju sought pardon for Dutt, whose five-year sentence was upheld by the Supreme Court in an arms case related to the 1993 Bombay blasts. 

However the PCI chief's suggestion did not appear to go down well with the BJP and its ally Shiv Aena. 

Taking a dig at Katju, BJP MP Balbir Punj said, "Katju has forgotten that he is no longer the judge of the Supreme Court. He is PCI chairman. 

"Supreme Court has decided as per the law. Supreme Court decision should be honoured otherwise it will be misunderstood that there are two laws - one for poor and another for famous people." 

Shiv Sena MP Anil Desai said, "He (Dutt) himself has said that he will abide by the court decision." 

Asked about his party's stand on the issue, he said, "Shiv Sena wants to know what about the victims who lost their lives 20 years ago. The court has given the verdict and he should abide by that." 

Sanjay Dutt doesn't deserve this, says Bollywood

Mumbai: People from the Hindi film fraternity took to Twitter to express their views on the Supreme Court’s verdict, Thursday, upholding the conviction of actor Sanjay Dutt and sending him to five years imprisonment.
Dutt, who was convicted under the Arms Act for illegally possessing a 9mm pistol and an AK-56 rifle, had been awarded six years imprisonment by the TADA (Terrorists and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act) court. As Dutt has already spent 18 months in jail, he will now have to spend another three and a half years in jail. 

Reacting strongly in favour of Dutt, filmmaker Kunal Kohli wrote, “the real planners of the `93 blasts are sitting safely in Pakistan,till they are brought to book, justice will not be served. the `93 blast case should NOT be made about Sanjay Dutt.The Real planners are sitting safely in Pakistan like Osama Bin Laden was. The way america caught Osama Bin Laden,we need to do a similar operation if Pak doesn`t hand over the `93 blast masterminds living there (sic).”

Music director Vishal Dadlani expressed solidarity with Dutt and tweeted, “I stand with @duttsanjay , always will. He`s my brother. He made mistakes, but he`s served more than his time, in terms of mental stress. I am not contesting/denying the law, but it breaks my heart that @duttsanjay `s to face this.He has done so much, so selflessly for so many! When I barely knew him, I needed some personal help in a family matter. I just asked, and @duttsanjay went above and beyond duty, to help. HE called ME (remember, I barely knew him then), EVERYDAY till it was sorted. Made things happen. Wish ppl could know how many he`s helped. (sic).”

“Heart Broken: Just heard that Sanjay Dutt has to go to jail for 5 years. I expected mercy! Alas it did not happen (sic),” veteran filmmaker Mahesh Bhatt tweeted. 

Director-producer Karan Johar wrote, “I am truly shattered to hear of Sanju`s sentence...the nicest guy i have known just doesnt deserve this...my heart goes out to him....(sic).”

Veteran actress Poonam Dhillon wrote, “@duttsanjay My Heart Goes out to Sanju.U are a Good Hearted ,Good Human Being ..May ur problems dissapear soon..Luv & Prayers (sic).”

Music director Shekhar Ravjiani wrote, “He's the most loved person in the business. One of the nicest people I know. Man with a big heart. My brother. I m with u @duttsanjay (sic).”

Jewelry designer Farah Khan Ali wrote, “Sanjay Dutt is a very good Man who doesn't deserve this sentence. God give him the strength. Prayers and more with his family (sic).”

Singer Shweta Pandit tweeted, “All i can say is @duttsanjay is indeed one of the most loving & nicer people i've met in the industry. This sentence is just too harsh! (sic).”

Photographer Dabboo Ratnani wrote, “Shattered to Hear about @duttsanjay ...Love Him...He is Like My Elder Brother & has a Pure Heart of Gold. God give Him Strength #SanjayDutt (sic).”

Producer Pritish Nandy reacted strongly and wrote, “Sad for Sanjay Dutt. He is paying for what was an act of folly. He is no traitor. He made a mistake. He is paying for it. Hugely. The real conspirators of the Bombay blasts must be brought back to India and tried. Sanjay's trial is just part of collateral damage (sic).”

Actor Aftab Shivdasani wrote, “Sad to know the verdict on Sanjay Dutt, my heart goes out to him and his family..he was a fighter, is one and will always be one..(sic).”

Dutt’s ‘Munnabhai’ co-star Arshad Warsi tweeted, “I am numb, I don't know what to say. Sanjay Dutt is not a criminal. This is too harsh a decision (sic).”

Bipasha Basu tweeted, “Saddenned n shocked with the news about Sanjay Dutt's Jail sentence. Strength to him n his family (sic).”

Co-star Ameesha Patel tweeted, “Feeling an awful pit in my stomach at sanjus judgement..he is a sweetheart..hope a miracle happens n saves him (sic).”

Dutt’s ‘Agneepath co-star Hrithik Roshan wrote, “I cannot comprehend. I know d law is d LAW. But I can bet my Life 2 say that Sanju sir doesn't deserve this! D most loved man!i stand for Sanjay dutt (sic).”

Neil Nitin Mukesh tweeted, “Just heard about sanjay sir. I am so upset with the news. One of the finest people around. He deserves Love !!NOT THIS (sic).” 

‘Aatma’ review: It 'scares' you with intelligent horror! ....

Thanks to ‘Aatma’ - the brainchild of director, screenplay and story writer Suparn Verma, Hindi cinema can now heave a sigh of relief after years of being pulled up for its stereotypical ‘scary’ films belonging to the supernatural genre.

After going through the one-and-half-hour-long movie, it turns out that the makers of ‘Aatma’ have kept their promise of presenting a freshly baked horror film with pleasant surprises thrown in here and there on the audiences’ platter. So here you won’t find the baggage that comes with the ‘usual’ horror films.

The story is kept real and believable and here’s how it goes: Maya Verma (Bipasha Basu) is trying hard to start her life afresh after the accidental death of her violent husband Abhay (Nawazuddin Siddique) who she got legally separated with after an unsuccessful marriage of 7 years. Now, as the story moves forward, Maya’s stream of consciousness reveals that Abhay was a husband from hell but a doting yet an overtly possessive father to his little daughter Nia (Doyel Dhawan). Nia’s affection for her father brings him back from the dead which results in hell breaking loose in Maya’s life. And this time the father is determined to take his daughter away with him to the netherworld. Now the only thing posing as a roadblock for the demoniac soul of Abhay is the strong mother-daughter bond that Nia and Maya share. This sets the base of ‘Aatma’s story. Now the question is, will the powerful and undefeatable evil Abhay have his way or will Maya’s motherly love win over the evil? Don’t rack your brains over this dear readers, simply go and watch the film (if you love the horror genre).

As the film’s writer, Suparn Verma had tried to make sure that he leaves no stone unturned in making the film connect on a logical and emotional level. For instance, one may question the logic behind the evil spirit going about killing every person that came its way in the film except Bipasha’s character but the reason behind that manoeuvre is revealed as the story progresses. But that does not imply that ‘Aatma’ is an excellent film. Rather it is more apt to say that it is an out-of-the-box film. The scary moments before the interval are more like foreplay. They titillate the viewer before the main course is served in the second half of the film with creativity flowing in the thrilling scenes. There are a couple of sequences that will give you the goose bumps while there are a few that will make you look into the screen without batting an eyelid. However, the best is preserved for the last – the climax! 

The actors, on their part, have done whatever they could to make the movie appealing. A special word of praise for Nawazuddin Siddique – he plays the part of a demoniac soul like a pro but he looks equally vicious and real as a man hurling domestic abuses on his wife. Bipasha’s best moment in the film comes during the climax. Otherwise, her performance remains steady throughout. The baby faced Doyel Dhawan looks promising as a child artist. The supporting cast has acted fine but it was amusing to watch a mystery woman draped in black appear out of nowhere to shout about an omen (talk about stereotypes here). 

Of the few songs it has, ‘Aaja Nindiya’, a lullaby well sung by Sangeet Haldipur. It stands out for its slow, melodious and on top of that, spooky notes. The music playing in the background has subtle tones and thankfully, there are no songs to break the film’s pace abruptly. Also, the way camera angles have been smartly used to project the supernatural happenings can be rightly termed as intelligent horror.

On a general note, ‘Aatma’ does not belong to the league of those horror films that leave a powerful impact on your mind for days, read: ‘The Exorcist’, ‘Grudge’ recalling a few. Instead, hopefully it will leave you without any fear of the unknown lurking in your heart. Signing off on an optimistic note, ‘Aatma 2’ takes the genre of horror films a notch higher.

Rating: 

The Beauty Of Nature - MUST SEE!

See how nature is beautiful and wise!!
A leopard regret for what he did!
Never seen anything like this in my life!

GENERAL KNOWLEDGE....

==> Brightest Planet is " Venus " & biggest planet is "Jupiter "

==> Tallest Animal is "Giraffe"

==> Faster Bird is "Swift"

==> Largest country (Population) is " China"

==> Largest country (electorate) is " India "

Watson's newborn baby........

Watson's newborn baby, Will has turned out to be a lucky charm for his father. 8 days after Will was born, Watson led the Australian Test team for the first time ever in his career.

Gang-rape case: Delhi HC allows media to cover day-to-day trial...

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Friday gave permission to the media to cover the day-to-day trial of December 16 gang-rape case that shook the nation. 

The gang-raped 23-year-old physiotherapy intern died on December 29 in a Singapore hospital, where she was taken from Safdarjung Hospital for treatment. 

Justice Rajiv Shakdher, allowing the plea of journalists seeking open trial instead of an in-camera one, directed the fast-track court to allow access to one representative of each media house. 

"The court will allow access to one representative journalist of each of the accredited national dailies. The petitioners before me represent some of them," the order said. 

The court, however, imposed some restrictions on the media, saying it would not disclose the name of the victim or her family members or witnesses cited during the trial. 

The reporters will exclude parts of proceedings that the court instructs them not to report, Justice Shakdher said, setting aside the media advisory issued by the police not to report the court proceedings and order of the trial court. 

"At the end, it is hoped that reportage will confine itself to the news as it is, and not transgress into the areas which are in the domain of the court. There is a thin, but a clean and distinct, line dividing the two which, if respected, will augur well for institutional integrity," the order added. 

On January 07, the fast-track trial court had ordered in-camera trial of the gang-rape-cum-murder case following unruly scenes that prevented the accused from being led into court. It also told the media not to report any news related to the case without its permission. 

The proceedings have been abated against prime accused Ram Singh as he is dead.

The other four accused in the case are Ram Singh's brother Mukesh, fruit seller Pawan Gupta, gym instructor Vinay Sharma and bus cleaner Akshay Thakur. 

The sixth accused is a juvenile, lodged separately, and his case is being heard by the Juvenile Justice Board. 

Sanjay Dutt only foolish, not a terrorist: Counsel ...

Mumbai: After the Supreme Court upheld Sanjay Dutt`s conviction under the Arms Act in the 1993 Mumbai blasts case and sent him to five years in jail, his counsel Majid Memon Thursday said the Bollywood actor was "foolish" for illegally possessing weapons.

Dutt has been told to surrender in four weeks.

"Dutt was young and foolish back then for illegally possessing weapons. He is neither a traitor nor a terrorist. It is unfortunate that he has been branded a criminal for what can only be defined as foolishness," Memon told reporters.

Memon said that even if Dutt pretended to be strong and showed courage, he surely was a broken man from within.

"He has already undergone a traumatic 20 years, which in itself is a big punishment for illegally possessing weapons," Memon said.

"Today, Dutt is a much different a person from what he used to be in the 1990s. He has also suffered a lot on account of his foolish act. He has been under the cloud of accusations because of the snail`s pace of our litigation system," he added.

Memon said Dutt`s team of counsel would carefully examine the apex court judgment, examine every word and explore possibilities of a review petition to get out of the situation.

"But in my view, the window is very narrow and hopes do not seem to be very high. The entire film industry has plunged into gloom the moment the news spread like wildfire," he said.

The actor, who was convicted under the Arms Act, was awarded six years` imprisonment by a Terrorists and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act court in 2007.

However, the apex court reduced the sentence to five years. This means Dutt will be in jail for three years and six months since he has already undergone 18 months` imprisonment.

The apex court upheld the death sentence of Yakub Abdul Razak Memon in the case and commuted the death sentence of 10 others.

The 13 serial bomb blasts that rocked Mumbai March 12, 1993, claimed 257 lives.

Aishwarya Arjun an exception among star kids: Director Pandian .....

Chennai: Tamil director Boopathy Pandian can`t stop raving about actor Arjun Sarja`s daughter, debutant Aishwarya Arjun, who will be seen in upcoming Tamil comedy ‘Pattathu Yaanai’.

"Not all star kids are blessed with acting prowess, but Aishwarya is an exception. I believe she has inherited acting skills from her father. She pulls of the most difficult scenes with ease and confidence. I`m extremely happy with the way she handles her role", Boopathy told reporters.

"What is impressive is that she agreed to play a school going character in her debut. I don`t think the daughter of any other star actor would agree to play such a role in her first film. She is a very supportive actress and picks up quickly," he added.

She is paired opposite Vishal Krishna in the film, which also features Santhanam, Sita, Jagan, Mano Bala and Karthik in important roles.

"The shooting is progressing at brisk pace in places such as Karaikudi, Madurai, Trichy and few other places. It`s a laugh riot and I`m sure audience will love it," said Boopathy.

S. Michael Rayappan has produced the film, which has music by S.S Thaman.

1993 Mumbai blasts: Sanjay Dutt to file review petition today .....

Delhi: Actor Sanjay Dutt, who was sentenced to five-year rigorous imprisonment by the Supreme Court on Thursday, is to file a review petition on Friday, a report said. The ‘Munnabhai’ hitmaker has already served 18 months in jail, and if his petition is rejected, he will have to complete the remaining three and a half years of the sentence.

In a statement following the Supreme Court’s verdict, Dutt said, “I still believe in judiciary. My family is with me and I am still strong.”

The Supreme Court’s order entails Dutt to surrender within four weeks from the day of the verdict. During the 1993 serial blasts that rocked the entire city of Mumbai, the actor was found in possession of illegal arms that were subsequently linked to the masterminds behind the bombings.

The ‘Vasstav’ star has to let go of the several projects that he is a part of, films like the third in the ‘Munnabhai’ series, Rajkumar Hirani’s ‘Peekay’ and the like, if his review petition is rejected. Sanjay Dutt will have to spend three and a half years in jail if the Supreme Court doesn’t take his petition into regard. However, if this petition is dismissed, Dutt has an option of filing a curative petition too.

In addition to filing a curative petition, Sanjay Dutt’s last option would be to reach out to the Governor of Maharashtra, who can intervene and remit his sentence. However, that would totally be dependent on the recommendation of the State government.