"I have been in the honourable court for 15 years and there are no favourites and favouritism of any sort to anybody. It's always been fair," he said in an interview to NDTV.

Asked whether he got favourable treatment as "he was Sanjay Dutt", the actor said, "Justice Kode has been fair with everyone" and he believed that with "total conviction."

Reliving the moment when the judge declared that he did not find the actor a terrorist, Dutt said, "I wanted to cry. I do not know... I nearly did... It was a burden off the Dutt family."

Mubina Bhiwandiwala and Zebunnisa Qazi on Thursday became the first women to get sentenced in the 1993 Mumbai blasts case.

Both sat next to each other when Judge Kode called out Mubina's name to pronounce her sentence in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case.

Veiled in a burqa, the duo whispered their prayers as Judge Kode started pronouncing the judgment.

While Mubina had been convicted for allowing main accused Tiger Memon's men to hatch the sinister conspiracy at her home, Zebunnisa had allowed weapons and hand grenades that co-accused Manzoor Ahmed Sayyad brought from actor Sanjay Dutt's residence, to be kept at her home.

Though the defence counsel had put forth the argument that Mubina was not involved in the conspiracy as the flat was in her father's name and that she was not part of the meeting, Judge Kode believed otherwise.

Mubina Bhiwandiwala and Zebunnisa Qazi sat next to each other when Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) court Judge P D Kode called out Mubina's name to pronounce her sentence in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case.

Veiled in a burqa, the duo whispered their prayers as Judge Kode started pronouncing the judgment.

While Mubina had been convicted for allowing main accused Tiger Memon's men to hatch the sinister conspiracy at her home, Zebunnisa had allowed weapons and hand grenades that co-accused Manzoor Ahmed Sayyad brought from actor Sanjay Dutt's [Images] residence, to be kept at her home.

Though the defence counsel's had put forth the argument that Mubina was not involved in the conspiracy as the flat was in her father's name and that she was not part of the meeting, Judge Kode believed otherwise.

"Mubina used her house for nefarious activities of the main accused Tiger Memon and his men," the judge said as he announced a five-year prison term and fine of Rs 25,000 for her.

Then, it was the turn of 60-year-old Zaibunnisa. Mubina's fate had already given her cold feet.

Judge Kode said, "Zaibunnisa was not found guilty under conspiracy but was found guilty under TADA on November 28, 2006. She is a widow and an aged person but unfortunately there is no provision in law under TADA to show leniency."

He handed Zaibunnisa five years rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs 75,000.

Gangster Ejaz Pathan, one of those convicted for the 1993 serial blasts in Mumbai, died in the city's JJ Hospital on Friday following a prolonged illness.

"Ejaz Pathan is dead," Deputy Commissioner of Police Brijesh Singh said PTI without giving details.

Pathan, who provided his men to absconding main accused Tiger Memon for landing RDX on the Raigad coast ahead of the 1993 blasts, was sentenced to rigorous imprisonment for 10 years by the special TADA court on June 7.

Image: Sanjay Dutt being frisked outside the TADA court in Mumbai
Photograph: Arun Patil

Also See:
The 1993 Mumbai Blasts Verdict

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