Gunjan Chaudhary
The 1993 serial bomb blasts in Mumbai left the city shattered, and the investigation into the attack became one of the most high-profile cases in India. Amidst this investigation, a name that surfaced was that of Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt. Arrested for illegally possessing weapons linked to the blast, Sanjay’s arrest and the events leading up to it were deeply emotional and life-altering.
Sanjay Dutt
Rakesh Maria On Arrest of Sanjay Dutt
Recently, former IPS officer Rakesh Maria, who was leading the investigation into the 1993 Mumbai bombings, described how Sanjay Dutt’s name came up during his investigation. According to Maria, it was through the information provided by Hanif Kadawala, a Bandra restaurant owner, and Sameer Hingora, then chairman of the Indian Motion Picture Producers Association (IMPPA), that the connection between Dutt and the attackers emerged.
Rakesh Maria
Maria recalled a conversation where Kadawala and Hingora suggested that Sanjay’s house had been used as a storage point for weapons meant for the attacks. The two men allegedly told him that the attackers needed a place to unload the weapons from their car, and they had suggested Dutt’s home for this purpose. According to Maria, Sanjay was unaware of the full extent of the plans but had allowed the men to park the vehicle at his house and unload the weapons, some of which were later returned to the terrorists.
Sanjay Dutt
When Rakesh Maria learned of Sanjay Dutt’s involvement, he initially wanted to question the actor. However, Sanjay was shooting in Mauritius at the time. Maria decided to wait until Sanjay returned to India. Once he did, Maria immediately picked him up from the airport and took him for questioning. In the early hours of the morning, as the questioning continued, Rakesh Maria recalled a moment that would change both their lives. Sanjay, sitting in a room at the Mumbai Crime Branch, insisted on his innocence.
Sanjay Dutt
Rakesh Maria recounted how, during the questioning, he slapped Sanjay Dutt in a moment of frustration. He described how he grabbed the actor by his long hair, demanding that he speak the truth. “I asked him, ‘Will you tell me your story, or should I tell you your role?’” Maria said. After a brief exchange, Sanjay finally broke down and confessed to his involvement, admitting, “I made a mistake, please don’t tell my father.” Maria, however, was adamant: “How can I not tell your father? You’ve made a mistake. Be a man.” Rakesh Maria recalled the heart-wrenching moment when Sanjay was brought face-to-face with his father after the confession.