- Target:
- Government of the Republic of India
- Region:
- India
Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt has been jailed for six years for buying weapons from bombers who attacked the Indian city of Mumbai (Bombay) in 1993.
The actor was cleared of conspiracy, but found guilty of illegally possessing a rifle and a pistol. Dutt, who has been on bail since 1995 after spending 18 months in prison during the initial investigations into the bombings, has now been taken back into custody.
In anticipation of the sentence, he had stopped accepting new Bollywood projects and had completed almost all the films he had already been working on.
Dutt, whose recent hits include Munnabhai MBBS and Lage Raho Munnabhai (Keep Going Munnabhai), is one of the top stars in an industry starved of heroes.
Film expert Komal Nahata told the BBC News website that Sanjay Dutt is currently one of the top 10 actors in Bollywood.
Sanjay Dutt, son of a Hindu father and Muslim mother, had initially confessed to having the weapon in order to defend his family against threats during the riots.
Sanjay Dutt has already served 18 months in prison previously for illegal possession of weapons and should not be punished further.
We, the undersigned, call on the Government of the Republic of India to release Sanjay Dutt from custody and declare him a 'free man'
You can further help this campaign by sponsoring it
The Free Bollywood Star - Sanjay Dutt petition to Government of the Republic of India was written by Knight and is in the category Human Rights at GoPetition.