Bollywood star Sanjay Dutt broke down in tears on Thursday as he announced he was abandoning his battle to avoid being sent back to jail for buying weapons from Mumbai gangsters.
Supporters had been urging Dutt to apply for a pardon after India's Supreme Court last week sentenced him to five years for buying firearms from mafia bosses who orchestrated a series of bombings in 1993 which killed 257 people.
But in an emotional press conference, flanked by family members, Dutt said he would accept his fate and surrender to prison authorities before a deadline expires in three weeks' time.
"I will surrender...the court has given me time," Dutt told reporters.
"With folded hands, I want to tell the media and the citizens of the country that when I have not applied for pardon, there is no debate," Dutt said, while repeatedly breaking down.
"Let me be in peace till I go ... I have lots of work to complete," he added.
He then hugged his sister and politician Priya Dutt, refusing to answer media queries.
Messages of sympathy and solidarity have poured in for the star since last week's verdict, with several high profile figures calling for the state governor to intervene and reduce Dutt's term on "humanitarian grounds".
The 53-year-old has already spent 18 months behind bars after his conviction by a lower court but he was released on bail in 2007 pending an appeal, which was struck down by the court last Thursday.
Dutt, whose mother was Muslim and father Hindu, has admitted to buying the weapons but insisted they were only meant to protect his family during communal riots in 1993 following the destruction of the Babri mosque.
The actor shot to fame in the mid-1980s in a string of action movies in which he performed his own stunts, earning him the nickname "Deadly Dutt".
He is best known for playing a mobster with a heart of gold in the popular "Munnabhai" series.
AFP
Thu Mar 28 2013
Tumpuan Sabtu – 06 Julai 2024
Ikuti rangkuman berita utama yang menjadi tumpuan di Astro AWANI.
![UMNO terima banyak permohonan bekas ahli mahu sertai semula parti - Ahmad Zahid UMNO terima banyak permohonan bekas ahli mahu sertai semula parti - Ahmad Zahid](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/61720190088_TBZahidHamidi.jpg)
UMNO terima banyak permohonan bekas ahli mahu sertai semula parti - Ahmad Zahid
UMNO menerima banyak permohonon bekas ahli yang ingin menyertai semula parti itu dan perkara tersebut akan dibawa ke Lembaga Disiplin untuk menentusahkan keahlian mereka.
![Pasangan warga emas maut kereta dinaiki bertembung bas ekspres Pasangan warga emas maut kereta dinaiki bertembung bas ekspres](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/41720189643_TBkemalanganMaut.jpg)
Pasangan warga emas maut kereta dinaiki bertembung bas ekspres
Sepasang suami isteri warga emas maut selepas kereta dinaiki mereka bertembung dengan sebuah bas ekspres di Kilometer 3.7 Jalan Machang-Tanah Merah.
![Positif COVID-19: Tiada lagi kuarantin di rumah, berkuat kuasa 15 Julai Positif COVID-19: Tiada lagi kuarantin di rumah, berkuat kuasa 15 Julai](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2023-12/61703402828_maskgeneric.jpg)
Positif COVID-19: Tiada lagi kuarantin di rumah, berkuat kuasa 15 Julai
Individu yang disahkan positif COVID-19 hanya digalak memakai pelitup muka, meminimumkan interaksi sosial dan mengelak tempat sesak.
AWANI Ringkas: 'Terlalu awal untuk samakan HRD Corp dengan 1MDB' - Fahmi
Ikuti rangkuman berita utama yang menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari di Astro AWANI menerusi AWANI Ringkas.
![Keir Starmer janji 'negara didahulukan, parti dikemudiankan' dalam ucapan sulung sebagai PM Keir Starmer janji 'negara didahulukan, parti dikemudiankan' dalam ucapan sulung sebagai PM](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/61720189246_TBKeirStarmer.jpg)
Keir Starmer janji 'negara didahulukan, parti dikemudiankan' dalam ucapan sulung sebagai PM
Pemimpin parti Buruh Keir Starmer secara rasmi memegang jawatan sebagai Perdana Menteri United Kingdom (UK) selepas dilantik Raja Britain, Raja Charles III pada Jumaat.
![300,000 dijangka kunjungi MADANI Rakyat Zon Timur 300,000 dijangka kunjungi MADANI Rakyat Zon Timur](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/51720188566_TBMadani.jpg)
300,000 dijangka kunjungi MADANI Rakyat Zon Timur
Program itu yang melibatkan Pahang, Terengganu, dan Kelantan, bertujuan memperkenalkan dasar dan inisiatif Kerajaan MADANI.
![Jurutera kilang ditahan rakam video dalam tandas wanita Jurutera kilang ditahan rakam video dalam tandas wanita](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-06/71719227691_handcuff.jpg)
Jurutera kilang ditahan rakam video dalam tandas wanita
Polis menahan seorang jurutera kilang kerana disyaki merakam gambar dan video di dalam tandas wanita di sebuah kompleks perniagaan di Lengkok Mayang Pasir, Bayan Baru.
![PRK Sg Bakap: Antara PADU dan KERJA, manifesto mana berjaya 'tawan' hati pengundi? PRK Sg Bakap: Antara PADU dan KERJA, manifesto mana berjaya 'tawan' hati pengundi?](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-06/41719326068_TBSgBakap.jpg)
PRK Sg Bakap: Antara PADU dan KERJA, manifesto mana berjaya 'tawan' hati pengundi?
Saksikan pertembungan satu lawan satu antara calon PH, Dr Joohari Ariffin mewakili Kerajaan Perpaduan dan calon PN, Abidin Ismail.
![UMNO muktamad calon PRK DUN Nenggiri minggu depan - Ahmad Zahid UMNO muktamad calon PRK DUN Nenggiri minggu depan - Ahmad Zahid](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/71720184635_ZahidHamidi.jpg)
UMNO muktamad calon PRK DUN Nenggiri minggu depan - Ahmad Zahid
UMNO akan memuktamad senarai calon bagi Pilihan Raya Kecil (PRK) Dewan Undangan Negeri (DUN) Nenggiri minggu depan.
![Sanjay Dutt menang 'pertempuran' melawan barah paru-paru Sanjay Dutt menang 'pertempuran' melawan barah paru-paru](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2020-10/41603341139_sanjaydutt.jpg)
Sanjay Dutt menang 'pertempuran' melawan barah paru-paru
Sanjay Dutt mengumumkan bahawa dia akhirnya berjaya menewaskan barah paru-paru yang dihidapinya baru-baru ini.
![Ketika selebriti Bollywood mahu berperang, ini tindakan selebriti Pakistan Ketika selebriti Bollywood mahu berperang, ini tindakan selebriti Pakistan](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/http://img.astroawani.com/2019-03/71551405158_salman.jpg)
Ketika selebriti Bollywood mahu berperang, ini tindakan selebriti Pakistan
Selebriti Bollywood bagaikan bersorak memberi sokongan dengan tindakan yang diambil kerajaan India.
![Belum keluar penjara, Sanjay Dutt bakal hadapi tuduhan baru Belum keluar penjara, Sanjay Dutt bakal hadapi tuduhan baru](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/http://img.astroawani.com/2014-11/41415759691_295x200.jpg)
Belum keluar penjara, Sanjay Dutt bakal hadapi tuduhan baru
Belum lagi dibebaskan dari penjara akibat penglibatannya dengan kumpulan pengganas dan memiliki senjata api, aktor Sanjay Dutt bakal menghadapi tuduhan baru pula.