Mumbai, May 18
The special court set up under the Terrorism and Disruptive Activities Act, today began sentencing those found guilty in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case.

The first batch of five persons, who were found guilty under the Customs Act for aiding and abetting smuggling of explosives prior to the blasts, have been sentenced to three years’ rigorous imprisonment.

Those sentenced were Yashwantrao Bhoinkar, Abbas Dawood Shaikhdare, Shahjahan Shaikhdare, Rashid Umar Alware and Sharif Khan Adhikari. All five accused have also been ordered to pay a fine of Rs 25,000 each. Failure in payment of the amount would result in additional six months’ rigorous imprisonment.

The accused were fishermen and local officials based in Raigad district where the explosives to carry out the blasts landed.

Under the Customs Act, they were found guilty of landing explosives in an area that was not designated as a port. In all, 100 persons, including actor Sanjay Dutt, were booked on various charges.

Counsel for Dutt, who was convicted under the Arms Act, are seeking his release on probation. Prosecution has already provided the court with contact details of probation officers who are likely to oversee the actor’s conduct in case he is given probation.

Public prosecutor Ujwal Nikam later told reporters that probation officers would have to provide their reports to the court. The process of sentencing Dutt would be over in about 10 to 12 days, Nikam said.

Sanjay Dutt was convicted by the court under the Arms Act for illegally possessing an assault rifle and pistol. He had earlier spent nearly two years in the Arthur Road jail in 1990s.

After Dutt filed for probation, several others found guilty along with the actor are also seeking exemption from jail on similar grounds.

Meanwhile, the actor did not make it to court citing ill health. Dutt’s lawyer Farhana Shah said he was suffering from high fever.