As for Sanjay Dutt, despite the high public interest in the actor's fate in the TADA court, he will have to wait at least a month. Listed as Accused No. 117, Judge Kode will take some weeks before delivering a verdict on Dutt. The actor, meanwhile, has reportedly cancelled public engagements and clamped down on shooting schedules. More than the conspiracy charge, Dutt must fear for the charges made under the Arms Act for illegal possession of weapons and ammunition, as also destruction of such weapons. Dutt's legal team has previously stated that he acquired the AK-47s and grenades for self-defence after his late father, the then MP Sunil Dutt, received several threats to life during the '92-93 riots. However, the Mumbai police which investigated the case and the CBI believe there is enough evidence of calls made to and from Dubai. Dutt also met gangster Abu Salem during the transaction of weapons.
While the judgement has been welcomed by Mumbaikars, police investigators like then police commissioner A.S. Samra and joint commissioner M.N. Singh and politicians of all hues, the CBI itself has reserved reaction till the complete judgement is delivered. To many Mumbaikars, particularly relatives of those who died or were injured, these convictions will mean some closure on a case that tortured the collective psyche of a city till other equally deadly bombs claimed lives. But for others the question will remain: of what relevance is justice that did not see the prime accused—Tiger Memon and Dawood Ibrahim—stand trial?
