Fearing death threats, Dutt wants to surrender in Pune

Apprehending death threats from fundamentalist groups, Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt, convicted for the March 1993 Mumbai serial bomb blasts, wants to surrender in Pune's Yerawada Jail.

Dutt moved an application Tuesday seeking permission to surrender in Yerawada Jail instead of giving himself up before Special TADA Judge G.A. Sanap here.

Sanap directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to file its reply and posted the matter for Wednesday.

"The applicant is facing threats to life from fundamentalist groups and those with vested interests," the application stated.

He further claimed that he wanted to avoid being hounded by the media like in the past. "The media chased the applicant's vehicles for 120 km in the past," it added.

Dutt is due to surrender May 16 after the Supreme Court upheld his conviction under the Arms Act, though it reduced his six-year jail term to five years.

The application came shortly after the Supreme Court declined additional time to Dutt to serve the remainder three-and-half years' sentence awarded in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case.