Sanjay Dutts wife Manyata would now fight elections

Sanjay Dutt's plea to contest the upcoming Lok Sabha elections was on Tuesday rejected by the Supreme Court which refused to stay his conviction in connection with the 1993 Mumbai blasts case.

"We are not inclined to suspend his conviction," a Bench headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan said.

"It is not a fit case to grant stay of conviction," the Bench also comprising Justices P Sathasivam and R M Lodha said.

Dutt had been fielded by the Samajwadi Party as its candidate for Lucknow Lok Sabha seat.

The Court said that Dutt was convicted for "serious offence" under the Arms Act by a Mumbai TADA Court.

The Bench said that the actor's case could not be equated with that of BJP leader Navjot Singh Sidhu whose conviction and sentence in a road rage case was stayed by the apex court to enable him to contest the Amritsar by- elections in 2007.

The Bench said that Dutt was disqualified from contesting the elections under the Section 8 (3) of the Representation of People Act, which debars a person sentenced to two or more years of imprisonment, from standing for polls.

Talking about the decision Sanjay Dutt said he abides by the Supreme Court's decision against suspending his conviction in a criminal case to enable him to fight Lok Sabha elections, but added that Lucknow remains "my home".

"I respect the decision of the honourable court. I am a law-abiding citizen and I really appreciate that the honourable court absolved me of TADA (Terrorist and Disruptive Activities Act) charges," Dutt told reporters here.

He, however, added: "I am not going to leave Lucknow. Lucknow is my home whether I fight this election or not. This is my father's place and I owe a lot to Lucknow. I am not going to leave Lucknow no matter what happens."

Asked if his wife Manyata would now fight elections, he said: "This decision would be taken by (Samajwadi Party leaders) Mulayam Singhji and Amar Singhji. It's my duty that I stand besides them lifelong.

"Whosoever will be the new (Samajwadi Party) candidate will be my candidate. This is my seat and will remain forever," Dutt added.

The Samajwadi Party had earlier announced Dutt as its candidate for the Lucknow seat. If he cannot contest, then his wife will be the candidate, the party had later said.

Lucknow was represented in the outgoing Lok Sabha by former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee of the Bharatiya Janata party (BJP), who is not contesting this time due to advancing age.

Dutt has been convicted of holding illegal arms in the run-up to the 1993 Mumbai serial bombings.