Friday, July 24, 2009

1993 blasts: Supreme Court orders convicted film producer’s arrest

New Delhi, The Supreme Court Monday issued a non-bailable warrant against Sameer Hingora, a Bollywood film producer who was convicted for his role in the 1993 Mumbai bombings.

Hingora, who is on bail after his conviction in the serial blasts case, was allowed by the court in April to go abroad in connection with shooting of his films.

He was held guilty and sentenced to nine years imprisonment by a designate Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (TADA) court for his involvement in the blasts conspiracy and supply of weapon to his actor friend Sanjay Dutt but was allowed to visit South Africa by a bench headed by Chief Justice K.G. Balakrishnan.

However, a bench headed by Balakrishnan issued the arrest order for Hingora after he failed to return to India from his trip abroad.

The court had imposed stringent conditions on Hingora, directing him to inform the CBI’s Special Task Force in Mumbai about his telephone numbers where he will be available during his visit and furnish an undertaking that after his trip from May 22 to June 2, he will surrender his passport to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) June 3.

Hingora, along with his associate Hanif Kadawala and underworld don Abu Salem, had delivered arms, including an AK-56 assault rifle, to Dutt’s residence in Bandra.

In early 1991, Hingora had teamed up with Kadawala to form the audio company Magnum.

They also took to producing films and purchasing video rights of movies. Hingora also served as the treasurer of the Indian Motions Pictures Association (IMPA) and produced two films under the banner of Magnum Video, “Dil Hi Toh Hai” and “Sanam” in 1997 starring Dutt.

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