This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/south_asia/7973758.stm
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| No to Bollywood actor's poll plea | No to Bollywood actor's poll plea |
| (21 minutes later) | |
| The Indian Supreme Court has ruled that Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt, convicted for his role in the 1993 Mumbai blasts, cannot contest forthcoming elections. | The Indian Supreme Court has ruled that Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt, convicted for his role in the 1993 Mumbai blasts, cannot contest forthcoming elections. |
| The court declined Dutt's request to suspend his conviction saying he had been involved in a "serious offence". | The court declined Dutt's request to suspend his conviction saying he had been involved in a "serious offence". |
| The actor was sentenced to six years in jail in July 2007 for buying weapons from bombers who attacked Mumbai. | The actor was sentenced to six years in jail in July 2007 for buying weapons from bombers who attacked Mumbai. |
| He has been out on bail since November 2007 and was planning to stand as a candidate for the Samajwadi Party. | He has been out on bail since November 2007 and was planning to stand as a candidate for the Samajwadi Party. |
| The Samajwadi Party hoped he would run in Lucknow, capital of the northern state of Uttar Pradesh. | The Samajwadi Party hoped he would run in Lucknow, capital of the northern state of Uttar Pradesh. |
| Dutt is one of Bollywood's most bankable stars. | Dutt is one of Bollywood's most bankable stars. |
| 'Serious offence' | |
| "It is not a fit case for suspension of conviction because of his [Sanjay Dutt's] involvement in a serious offence," the Supreme Court said in its order on Tuesday. | |
| The court ruled that the actor could not stand for elections for the period of his sentence. | |
| Under Indian laws, anyone who is convicted by a court and given a jail sentence for a period of two years or more is not allowed to contest elections. | |
| Neither the actor nor the Samajwadi Party have commented on his disqualification. | |
| Dutt is appealing against his conviction in the Supreme Court. | |
| He is the most high-profile of 100 people convicted in connection with the blasts, which killed 257 people in Mumbai. | |
| He found fame playing gangsters and anti-heroes. |