Timeline of Sanjay Dutt's court case in 1993 Mumbai blasts

New Delhi: Following is the timeline of how Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt became involved with the case relating to 1993 Mumbai serial blasts, leading to today's apex court verdict sentencing him to 5 years imprisonment:March 12, 1993: Mumbai was rocked by 12 bomb blasts between 1:33 pm to 3:40 pm which killed around 257 people and injured another 713. Property worth Rs. 27 crore was damaged in the blasts.April 1993: Sameer Hingora and Hanif Kadawala arrested a month after serial blasts rock Mumbai on March 12, 1993. They tell police about film star Sanjay Dutt's possessing AK-56 rifles. April 15, 1993: CBI files chargesheet against Sanjay Dutt saying Salem was brought to Dutt's resident accompanied by Magnum video owner Sameer Hingora and motor-training school owner Ibrahim Musa on instructions of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim's brother Annes to deliver weapons. Next morning weapons arrived and Dutt allegedly kept three AK-56 rifles. Later, he kept only one rifle and returned two rifles.Dutt confessed to the police that while he was in Mauritius for shooting he called Yusuf Nullwalla to destroy the weapons. Yusuf did so with the help of Kersi Adajania in his foundry.April 19, 1993: Police escorts Dutt on his arrival from Mauritius saying AK-56 in his house was from the consignment of arms smuggled into India before the blasts.April 22, 1993: Dutt admits to the charges in his confession. But later he retracted the same.May 3, 1993: Dutt released on bail.July 4, 1994: Bail cancelled and re-arrested. October 16, 1995: After spending nearly 16 months in jail, Dutt again gets bail.2001: Actor faces 396 queries from the court over four days. Over questions concerning AK-56 rifle, Dutt replied: "I had no connection with any such event". He even denied having met Salem and others.2002: The Mumbai police tapped alleged Dutt's conversation with gangster Chhota Shakeel. The conversation has references to the actor having bought a T-shirt for him from Dubai.August 2002: Shiv Sena-BJP combine in Maharashtra created a furore in the State legislature over the Bollywood star's alleged taped conversation with underworld don Chhota Shakeel.March 7, 2003: Dutt informs the court that he did not know about Pakistan-based gangster Chhota Shakeel.June 2, 2003: Court exempts Dutt from personal appearance till June-end, stating he has gone abroad for stage shows with the court's permission.Nov. 27, 2006: TADA court delivering verdict in the 1993 Mumbai blasts case summons Dutt on November 28.Nov. 28, 2006: Dutt is found guilty under Arms Act but is acquitted in all cases related to TADA.February 13 2007: Special branch of Mumbai police arrested Abdul Qayyum Abdul Karim Shaikh, a close aide of Dawood Ibrahim and wanted by Mumbai Police Special Task Force for his role in the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts from Mumbai. Qayuum had been named by Sanjay Dutt in his confessional statement. Sanjay had said that he met Qayuum in Dubai in September 1992 and bought a pistol from him. According to CBI, the pistol was sold to Sanjay at the instance of Dawood's brother Anees Ibrahim.July 31 2007, Dutt was sentenced to six years rigorous imprisonment for illegally possessing weapons. At the same time, Dutt was also "cleared of terrorism conspiracy charges in the blasts" related to the 1993 bombings. Dutt was immediately taken into custody and sent to Mumbai's Arthur Road Jail. As the sentence was pronounced, Dutt was "visibly shocked and was seen shivering and holding back tears".August 2, 2007: Sanjay Dutt was moved from Arthur Road jail in Mumbai to the Yerwada Central Jail in Pune.August 7, 2007, Dutt appeals against the sentence. August 20, 2007: Supreme Court of India granted Dutt interim bail. He was released after Yerwada Central Jail authorities received a copy of the court's bail order. The bail was valid until the time the special TADA court, which sentenced Dutt on 31 July, provides a copy of its judgment to him. August 23, 2007: Dutt was released from jail October 22, 2007 Dutt was back in jail but again applied for bail. November 27, 2007, Dutt was granted bail by the Supreme Court. His appeal for an acquittal kept pending before SC.Dutt was convicted in July 2007 for the illegal possession of a 9 mm pistol and an AK-56 rifle but was acquitted of more serious charges under the now defunct Terrorist and Disruptive Activities Act (TADA) law and was sentenced to six years jail term. He had spent 18 months in jail after his arrest in 1993.March 21, 2013: Supreme Court upholds death sentence to Yaqub Memon in Mumbai serial blasts case. 10 out of the 11 convicts given death sentence had their sentences reduced to life term. Sanjay Dutt's 6 year imprisonment term reduced to 5 years.