
Bollywood star Sanjay Dutt's maiden bid to contest the Lok Sabha polls was on Monday opposed by the CBI in the Supreme Court which reserved its order on his plea for suspension of his conviction in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case.
The investigating agency, which had not opposed Dutt's bail when he was sentenced to six years imprisonment by a Mumbai TADA Court, said a case cannot be made out to stay his conviction under Arms Act to enable him to contest elections.
Dutt, who has joined the Samajwadi Party and is tipped to contest the polls from Lucknow, raised legal points and referred to his family background to seek relief from the apex court.
"No case can be made out to stay his conviction," Additional Solicitor General Gopal Subramanium asserted before a three-judge Bench headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan.
CBI contended that Dutt would not suffer irretrievable or irreparable injury if his plea was refused. The actor has sought suspension of conviction in order to enter public life by contesting the coming Lok Sabha polls.
The agency countered the contention of Dutt's counsel and senior advocate Harish Salve that he was only convicted on the basis of his confessional statement, saying the actor was held guilty not only on the basis of his confession but also that the court's findings were based on recoveries, disclosures and corroborative evidences.
"It is not a case entirely based on confession but supported by disclosures, recoveries and corroboration of evidences," the ASG said.
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