Should Dutt sentence be suspended? CBI to probe all aspects

Amid indications that it may oppose the petition of actor Sanjay Dutt seeking suspension of his conviction to contest polls, the CBI today said it would give its opinion to the Supreme Court after taking into account "all aspects" of the case.

"We will give our reply to the Supreme Court through an affidavit or through the Additional Solicitor General who has been looking into this matter," CBI Director Ashwini Kumar told reporters on the sidelines of a function here.

Dutt, who was nominated by Samajwadi Party to contest the coming Lok Sabha polls from Lucknow, is seeking suspension of his six-year conviction in connection with 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case.

"Whatever stand we will take (in the court), it will purely be professional and legal. It will be as per best legal advice," he said.

The petition will come up for hearing in the apex court on March 30 before a bench, headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan, which had issued notice to the CBI and sought its reply on the plea of Dutt.

Kumar, however, refrained from giving a direct reply on the stand of the CBI saying "the model code of conduct is in force. Hence, we would not like to comment on the content of our report to the Supreme Court."

Meanwhile, sources said the agency is likely to oppose the petition of Dutt.

The CBI sources said the prosecution department of the agency was in favour of opposing the plea as it did not want to set any precedence.

Dutt was held guilty under the Arms Act by a Mumbai TADA Court which has sentenced him to six years of imprisonment in July 2007. The Bollywood star has spent 18 months in jail during the pendency of the trial.

The actor sought suspension of the conviction on the grounds which were considered by the apex court while staying the conviction of BJP leader Navjot Singh Sidhu in a road rage death case.

Dutt, 50, has asked the apex court to consider that he was absolved of the serious offence under TADA and there was not a single case registered against him before the Mumbai blasts.