Filmmaker seeks stay on Sanjay Dutt bail in SC

NEW DELHI: Filmmaker Shakeel Zakariya Noorani, who is involved in a spat with Sanjay Dutt over the latter's "no show" on shooting dates and payments, has moved the Supreme Court seeking cancellation of the Bollywood star's bail in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case.

Noorani's film `Jaan Ki Baazi' allegedly ran into trouble and remained incomplete for nine years with Dutt not giving dates for shooting despite taking an advance of Rs 50 lakhs.

He then moved the Indian Motion Pictures Producers Association (IMPAA), which asked Dutt to allot 30 shooting dates to Noorani Film Corporation or compensate the loss cause to the film company.

Noorani in his application before the SC alleged that soon after he moved the Bombay High Court for execution of IMPAA's decision, he on January 25 received two phone calls from a Karachi phone number asking him to withdraw the case against Dutt or face dire consequences.

He alleged that this amounted to gross misuse of the grant of bail to the film star during the pendency of his appeal against conviction and sentence in the Mumbai serial blasts case as he had reasons believe that the "spate of threatening calls" to him from a Karachi was at Dutt's behest.

Dutt's counsel, senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi and lawyer Hari Shankar K, opposed Noorani's application before a bench comprising Justices P Sathasivam and B S Chauhan last week. They said the dispute over film shooting had nothing to do with the criminal appeal pending before the apex court.

The bench said there was a request from Noorani for adjournment of hearing for two weeks and that it was not passing any order. The application is now listed for fresh hearing on July 4.

Dutt was granted bail on August 20, 2007, by the Supreme Court, which has since then been permitting him to go abroad periodically for shooting of films. Dutt was acquitted of TADA charges but was convicted under the Arms Act and sentenced to six years imprisonment by a Mumbai Special Court.