Incident details: Ujjwal Nikam, who was recently nominated to the Rajya Sabha on the recommendation of President Droupadi Murmu, shed light on the key moments of his legal career in an exclusive interview with NDTV. During this, he made a shocking claim related to the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts case. Nikam said: “On March 12, 1993, a day before the serial blasts in Mumbai, a van arrived at Sanjay Dutt’s house, loaded with weapons. It contained hand grenades and AK-47 rifles, which were brought by Abu Salem, an aide of notorious gangster Dawood Ibrahim. Sanjay Dutt took some grenades and guns, but later returned most of the weapons and kept only one AK-47. "If they had informed the police at that time, the police would have investigated and these blasts would never have happened." The blasts rocked Mumbai, killing 267 people and injuring hundreds. Nikam's claim has once again made the case a subject of public debate. Nikam's stand on Sanjay Dutt's innocence: Ujjwal Nikam puts Sanjay Dutt in the eye of the law I supported his naivety and innocence even while declaring him guilty. He said: “Sanjay Dutt is a simple and innocent person. He made the mistake of possessing weapons, because he was fond of guns. In the eyes of the law, it was a crime, but his intention was not terrorism. I had also told his lawyer that the AK-47 was never fired, but not informing the police was the mistake due to which the blasts could not be prevented.” Nikam called it a legal mistake, but at the same time tried to look at Sanjay Dutt’s character from a human angle, who he thought was an enthusiastic but careless person. Sanjay Dutt’s scary moment in court: Nikam revealed something in the interview that was hidden from the media till now. He said that when Sanjay Dutt was sentenced under the Arms Act, he was extremely scared in the court. Nikam said: “When Sanjay Dutt was sentenced in the TADA court, he lost his senses. His facial expression changed, and he looked shocked. I saw that he was unable to accept the punishment. At that moment I said to him, ‘Sanjay, Don’t do this. The media is watching you. You are an actor, if you look scared, people will think you are guilty. You have the right to appeal.’ To this, Sanjay said, ‘Yes sir, yes sir.’ Legal background: In the Mumbai blasts case, Sanjay Dutt was acquitted of terrorism charges under TADA (Terrorist and Disruptive Activities Act), but he was found guilty of illegal possession of weapons under the Arms Act. The court sentenced him to six years in prison, which was later reduced to five years by the Supreme Court. Sanjay Dutt served this sentence in Pune’s Yerwada jail. Nikam said that he had also told Sanjay Dutt’s lawyer that possession of weapons was a crime, but not informing the police was the real mistake that wasted the opportunity to prevent the blasts. Social and legal implications: This revelation by Ujjwal Nikam has once again fueled the debate regarding Sanjay Dutt’s past and the 1993 blasts. An ex-post said: “Ujjwal Nikam’s claim that Sanjay Dutt could have prevented the Mumbai blasts takes a new twist. Did the silence of an actor really cause such a huge disaster?” Some people It is believed that this statement of Nikam presents the public image of Sanjay Dutt from a new angle. While on the one hand he was guilty in the eyes of the law, Nikam's opinion that he was innocent and naive may create sympathy among the public. However, some critics say that Nikam's statement may be for political purposes, as he is now going to become a member of the Rajya Sabha. Ujjwal Nikam's Rajya Sabha nomination: Ujjwal Nikam, who rose to fame as the public prosecutor against Ajmal Kasab in the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks case, was recently nominated to the Rajya Sabha by President Draupadi Murmu. Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated him on his nomination and said: "Ujjwal Nikam's dedication to the legal field and his loyalty to our Constitution are commendable." After his nomination, Nikam said that he will work in the Rajya Sabha on judicial reforms and legislation related to national security. Source: NDTV: Amar Ujala: Dainik Bhaskar: Nav Bharat Times: X-Posts: