Sanjay Dutt was first arrested in April 1993 right after the Mumbai bomb blasts, but not many of today’s millennials know why exactly the actor was put behind bars or how his arrest took place. Here’s Munna Bhai himself (played by the talented Rohit Gupta) telling you the story of Sanju baba’s arrest.
Note: All the information in this video is sourced from Sanjay Dutt’s confession to the Mumbai Police in 1993.
The complete text of Sanjay Dutt’s confession to the police is reproduced below:
“I, Sanjay Sunil Dutt, age 34 years occupation Film Artist stay at 58, Pali Hill, Sandra, Bombay-50 with my father, and two sisters. I studied up to 1st year Arts in Elphinstone College. I left my studies in 1977 after that I did some private training in acting and started acting in films in the year 1980.
I am having three valid license for fire arms and possess three fire arms as mentioned below:
1. 270 Rifle of BRUNO make
2. 375 Magnum Double barrel Rifle
3. 12 Bore Gun of Double Barrel
I purchased these weapons due to my fondness for hunting normally go for hunting with one friend of mine Mr.Yusuf Nullwala as he is a experienced hunter. I also know one friend of Yusuf Nullwala by name Kersi Bapuji Adajenia and met him three times. In December 1991, I had given dates for shooting to actor producer Firoz Khan for his film Yalgar. He had taken whole of unit for shooting in Dubai. During one of the shootings Firoz Khan introduced me to one Mr. Dawood Ibrahim and also to his brother Anees during another shooting session. After that Anees used to visit us regularly during the shootings and also at the place of our stay. During the stay there the entire unit was invited for a dinner party by Dawood Ibrahim at his residence one day. I also attended the party alongwith the other unit members. In the party, a lot of other people also came to attend the party and we were introduced to many of the persons present in the party namely, Iqbal Mirchi, Sharad Shetty, Chotta Rajan and many artists from Pakistan. Since Anees used to come frequently 1 had good acquaintance with him.
I also know the proprietor of Magnum Video namely Hanif Kadawala and Samir Hingora. Also I signed for acting in one of their film ‘Sanam’. Samir is treasurer of IMPA (Indian Motion Picture Association). Hanif and Samir used to come quite frequently to my house for taking dates for shooting from my Secretary.
My father is an active political worker of Congress Party and has been elected as Member of Parliament in the last Parliament election from Bandra area of Bombay. He also takes lot of interest in social work. During recent communal riots my father has taken interest and organizing relief work for the riot victims with the help of the persons in film industry. Due to this large number of people from film industry, Congress Party and social organizations used to come regularly to arrange for relief work. We also used to receive threatening telephone calls. Anonymous callers used to threaten us about killing or assaulting the make members of my family and molesting or raping my sisters.
All of us used to get frightened and were under great mental tension. Also during the visits of my father to Jogeshwari and Behrampada areas he was attacked by furious mobs twice branding him as pro-muslims. Once while my father was sitting for hunger strike at Hutatma Chowk. I got a threatening telephone call as the result of which we all got frightened and I contacted local police. However, no special police was send. I coincidentally met an Army Officer who is known to me and was patrolling with his squad in our area. When I requested him for help after narrating the above facts to him, he was kind enough to guard our house during that night. I thereafter casually mentioned about the above happenings to a number of persons including Hanif Kadawalla and Samir Hingora during usual discussions.
Hanif told me that if I so desire, he would make Immediate arrangements to provide an automatic firearm to me for my protection. Initially, I did not show any interest but when Hanif and Samir started repeatedly telling me to acquire a firearm from them, I gradually fell prey and I expressed my desire to Hanif and Samir, they said that they would immediately provide me with an automatic fire arm. One day, in mid January in the evening around 9.00 - 9.30 pm Hanif and Samir came to my house alongwith one person by name Salem. I had met this Salem once or twice earlier also.
Then these three fellows told me that they were coming tomorrow morning with the weapons to be delivered to you. Then they went away. Next day morning Samir, Hanif and Salem all three came to my house alongwith one other person who is not known to me. They came in Maruti Van and parked it in a Tin shed which is used by us for parking our vehicles. One person was sitting inside the Maruti Van. After about 15-20 min. he took out three rifles and they said it is AK-56 rifles. I got some cloth from my house and gave to them. Salem and the person who has come with him wrapped those rifles in the clothes and gave to me.
When I opened and saw him there were three rifles some magazines and round, they have told me that there are 250 rounds. The rounds were kept in another hand bag fetched by me. On seeing three rifles I got scared and told them that I wanted only one weapon. Then Hanif and Salem told me to keep it for the time being and in case it is not required we will take away the rest of the two weapons. They have also shown me some brown coloured hand grenade and asked me whether I want that also. I do not want these grenades and you may please leave my house immediately I told them. I can identify the fellow sitting in the car and the hand-grenades if are shown to me now. I kept these rifles and ammunition in the dickey of my Fiat Car No. MMU 4372 and locked it. On the same night I removed the three rifles and ammunition, kept the same in a handbag which I kept in my private hall which is one 2nd floor of our bungalow.
Two days thereafter, since I had considerable mental tension, I contacted Hanif Kadawalla and requested him to take away the weapons. He said that he would arrange to send somebody to collect the same. After two days Hanif Kadawalla and Samir Hingora alongwith Salem came to my house in the evening in a car. I returned two AK-56 rifles and a part of the ammunition to them but, retained one AK-56 rifle and some ammunition with me. I also told them that after the riots would subside, they should take away the 3rd AK-56 rifle and ammunition, to which they agreed.
About a week thereafter, I again called Hanif Kadawalla on phone and requested him to take away the rifle and the ammunition as the riots are under control and I was no more in the need of the said weapon. I was also experiencing a great mental pressure since I had realized that it was not a right thing to do. However, Hanif Kadawalla did not show any inclination to take away the same. I, therefore, instructed my Secy. not to give appointments to Hanif and Samir for any shooting so that they would realize that I was not co-operating with them. As a result, for a couple of times they had hot discussions with my Secy. When I met them, they told me that the rifle possessed by me is none of their concern.
Around September 92, during one of my shooting at R.K. Studio one Kayyum, who is a member of Dawood Ibrahim gang and had met me in Dubai at the shooting film Yalgaar approached me with a stranger. They offered me a 9mm pistol with ammunition. When I saw it, I liked it and had a strong desire to purchase the same. They offered it to me for a sum of Rs, 40,000/- I paid the said amount in cash to them at my house and purchased the same. I do not know the name of that person who was brought by Kayyum. However, he was aged about 35-38 years, apparently, Muslim, dark complexion, height about 5’8”, fat built, moustache, medium curly hair, wearing shirt and pant. I will be able to identify him if brought before me. He also handed over 8 rounds of the said pistol.
After the riots were over I thought of informing the police about the weapons i.e. AK-56 rifles and ammunition or abandoning it all together some spot but due to the fear of getting reprimand from my father or spoiling the prestige and name of my family I kept the weapons as it is. After this I got involved in with my normal schedule of shooting. On 12 March 1993 I heard the news of Bomb blast while I was busy in shooting for the film Jai Vikrant in Jaipur. I was quite shocked. During the shooting of ‘Sanam’ Hanif and Samir and myself used to chit-chat about the films and other things. During such conversation Hanif and Samir had boasted about one fellow by name Tiger Memon and were telling me that he was very dynamic and daring fellow, and Custom and Police fellows are afraid of him and he is a good friend of them. They also occasionally used to talk about their friendship with Dawood Ibrahim and his brother Anees.
On 2nd April, I left tor Mauritius for shooting of film Aatish there I was informed by a casual contact that Hanif and Samir have been arrested by Bombay Police for their complicity in bomb blasts. On hearing the news I got frightened as these fellows had given me the AK-56 rifles and they may tell my name to the police to involve me in the bomb blast case. I contacted my friend Mr Yusuf Nullwala on telephone and asked him that something is lying in a black colour bag which is kept in my hall at the second floor of my house and it should be taken away immediately and destroy the things completely which are there in the bag.
Otherwise I shall be in a great trouble. By this time, the news about my possession of AK-56 rifles had appeared in the press and on coming to know about this, my father asked me about the truthfulness of this news, but I denied the same. My anxiety about the whole episode became unbearable and I decided to return to Bombay in between. My father informed my flight details to the police and I was picked up by police as soon as I landed in Bombay and confessed the whole things to them.”
Narrator: Rohit Gupta
Camera: Sanjoy Deb
Camera Assistant: Gautam Sharma
Editor: Veeru Krishan Mohan
Producers: Suresh Mathew, Divya Talwar
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)