MUMBAI, (Reuters) – Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt said yesterday that he will return to jail for his conviction linked to the 1993 Mumbai bombings, giving up a long-running legal battle for his freedom.
The high-earning actor has been on bail since 2007 when he appealed against an original sentence of six years for the illegal possession of weapons in a case linked to the attacks that killed 257 people.
Last week India’s Supreme Court rejected his final appeal against his conviction but reduced his sentence to five years and ordered him to return to custody within four weeks.
Dutt, 53, said he would no longer fight and would not try to seek a pardon.
“Right now I am a shattered man, my family is shattered,” an emotional Dutt told reporters in Mumbai, breaking down and hugging his sister, Priya, who sat beside him.
“I am not going for pardon, there is no debate about it .. The honourable Supreme Court has given me time to surrender and I will surrender at that time.”
Dutt had already spent 18 months in prison before being released on bail so he is expected to serve another 3.5 years.
Dutt was the most high-profile of 100 people involved in the Mumbai bombings trial which ended with 12 people receiving the death penalty and 20 others given life sentences.
In 2007, he was cleared of conspiracy charges in the attacks but found guilty of illegal possession of an AK-56 rifle and a pistol which he claimed were to protect him and his family during a period of rioting in Mumbai.
