When the actor: Sanjay Dutt arrested for illegally taking weapons from people in the world, some of the country’s leading lawyers defended him in court. However, he was sent to prison, a prosecutor’s verdict Ujjwal Nikam said that came after he strongly opposed any rest for the actor. Recalling the day the verdict was announced, Nikam said Sanjay was shaking with fear, while the media made the prosecutor look like a villain for pushing for a stiff punishment.
Sanjay Dutt was “naturally scared”, says Nikam
Talking to Lallantop, Nikam said, “Whenever Sanjay Dutt cries, people hold me accountable for that. The media can create a public perception about a person. When the court pronounced its verdict against Sanjay Dutt, he naturally got scared. He was released on bail, but the court ordered that he be imprisoned.”
Nikam explains his argument against being vulnerable for Sanjay Dutt
Elaborating on the stand he took in court, Nikam said, “My argument is that Sanjay Dutt should not get the benefit of the Probation of Offenders Act. He was convicted under the Arms Act, even though the court acquitted him of conspiracy charges, and we have no objection to that. However, I argued that he should be sentenced to seven years under the Arms Act, since he was released on his Arms Act. bond. I objected because of the pistol he owned from the number one shooter in: Dawood Ibrahim. If he accepts a weapon from such a person, he is fully aware of his criminal background. The benefit of the Probation of Offenders Act is for first-time offenders who are genuinely innocent but have been detained in adverse circumstances. That is not the case with Sanjay Dutt.”
Sanjay Dutt has hired the best lawyers in the country
Nikam went on to recall that Sanjay had brought some of the best legal minds in the country to represent him. “He used the best legal lights in this country while I was the prosecutor. In the end, the court agreed with me and sentenced him to seven years in prison,” he said.
Sanjay Dutt was “trembling” after the verdict
Explaining how Sanjay reacted after the verdict, Nikam said, “When the verdict was delivered, he was shaking. He was almost shaking. I was standing nearby and told him, ‘Sanju, the media is watching, please stand up straight.’ Then I asked the police to take him. If I had not been encouraged by him at that time, the media would have made me a villain. Everything is against me.”
Sanjay Dutt is “not a terrorist”, Nikam clarified
Even as he pushed for a stiff sentence, Nikam made it clear that he did not view Sanjay Dutt as a terrorist. “I want to make it clear that Sanjay Dutt is not a terrorist. This is his childhood. You can see it in his eyes. He was interested in weapons, and at that time many people were attracted to the underworld. Being with them is seen as a change,” he said.
Sanjay Dutt could have prevented the blasts in 1993, says Nikam
However, Nikam notes that his real disappointment lies in the fact that Sanjay could have helped prevent the 1993 Mumbai serial bomb blasts. “When: Abu Salem came with a truckload of weapons, Sanjay Dutt kept some and returned the rest. My point is that if he had informed the police immediately, we would have stopped the bombing. The conspiracy may be exposed, many lives may be saved, and those involved may be caught. That was my complaint against him. But he is not a terrorist.”
Sanjay Dutt and Nikam are now dating
Despite their court battles, Nikam revealed that the two now share a cordial equation. “I met him after he was released. I have met him many times since then. He respected me. Once, I was in a hotel when he approached me and talked to me. I have no personal enmity against anyone,” he said.