'I'm a victim of political vendetta!'

Film star Sanjay Dutt, accused in bomb blast case, told a special court that he was a victim of political vendetta and had been wrongly booked by the Bombay police in the alleged conspiracy.

"I am innocent and have not committed any crime, Sanjay told the designated TADA judge P D Kode, who was recording his statement under Section 313, Criminal Penal Code.

Sanjay, who turned emotional, told the court that since 1993 he and his family members, particularly his father Sunil Dutt, had suffered great humiliation as a result of which his career had taken a back seat.

"I lost prime years of my career because I was falsely implicated in the bomb blast case. I have suffered losses which cannot be compensated," he said.

The actor further said that besides getting permission to go abroad, he had never asked for any other facility from the court. Sanjay said he had never misused the liberty granted by the court.

He said he was eagerly awaiting justice as a law abiding citizen and faced the trial by following all directions of the court since his arrest in 1993.

Replying to a question, he denied he had telephoned his friend Yusuf Nullwala from Mauritius to destroy the AK-56 rifle kept in his house.

The deposition of Sanjay ended today. Altogether, 107 of the 124 accused had deposed before the court after prosecution closed its case last September.

PTI

Earlier story:
Sanjay Dutt denies charges