- Ujjwal Nikam said the 1993 Mumbai blasts could have been averted if Sanjay Dutt informed police
- Sanjay Dutt was acquitted under TADA but convicted under Arms Act for weapon possession
- Nikam revealed he advised Dutt to appear strong after his conviction to avoid guilt perception
The government's key lawyer Ujjwal Nikam, who is now stepping into politics with a seat in Rajya Sabha after a recommendation from the President of India Droupadi Murmu, took a relook at his career in law today in an exclusive interview with NDTV. Going over the milestones, he said the 1993 blasts in Mumbai that killed 267 people could have been averted if only actor Sanjay Dutt had reported to the police about the weapons-laden vehicle from which he had picked an AK-47 gun.
The court had acquitted Mr Dutt from the accusation of being a terrorist under the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) Act (TADA) law but had convicted him under the Arms Act. Later, the Supreme Court reduced his six-year sentence to five years. Mr Dutt had completed this sentence in Pune's Yerwada jail.
Sanjay Dutt, back then, was innocent and had kept the weapon because he was attracted to guns, Mr Nikam told NDTV, saying he "did commit an offence in the eyes of the law. But he is straight forward guy... I considered him innocent".
"I have only one thing to say. The blast took place on March 12, days before that a van came his (Sanjay Dutt's) house. It was full of weapons-- hand grenades, AK 47s. Abu Salem (henchman of gangster Dawood Ibrahim) had brought it. Sanjay picked some hand grenades and guns. Then he returned it all and kept just one AK 47. Had he informed the police at the time, the police would have investigated and the Mumbai blasts would never have happened," Mr Nikam said.
He said he had told Mr Dutt's lawyer about this as well -- the AK 47 was never fired and its possession - that of banned weapon -- was "one thing". But his not informing the police was what had led to the blasts that had killed so many people.
Mr Nikam also revealed one "secret" that he said he had had never told the media - his whispered conversation with Sanjay Dutt when the actor was convicted under the Arms Act.
Mr Dutt's conversation with the Public Prosecutor was noted and much commented on at the time. But it was not known what was said.
Sanjay Dutt, Mr Nikam said today, had lost control once the sentence was announced.
"I saw his body language change. I felt that he was in shock. He could not tolerate the verdict and he looked shaken," Mr Nikam told NDTV.
"He was in the witness box and I was nearby and I spoke to him. You'd remember he became silent and then he left," he added.
Asked what it was that he told the actor, Mr Nikam said he was revealing the "secret" for the first time.
"I told Sanjay, 'Sanjay don't do this. The media is watching you. You are an actor. If you appear scared by the sentence, people would consider you guilty. You have a chance to appeal'. He said 'Yes sir, yes sir'.
Mr Nikam was also the prosecutor for the 26/11 Mumbai attack for which Pakistani terrorist Ajmal Kasab was hanged.
Asked about his statement that Ajmal Kasab was having biriyani in jail, he said the terrorist had indeed demanded biriyani. But that comment was taken up by political leaders and politicised.
