While dismissing the arguments of discrimination by some of the accused of 1993 Mumbai serial blasts, the Supreme Court on Friday said it would hear the petitions of all including that of actor Sanjay Dutt, incarcerated in Pune jail for allegedly possessing illegal weapons, on August 20 and refused to grant him interim bail.

A bench comprising Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan and Justice R V Raveendran said the petitions filed by all the convicts would also be heard on August 20 and the law of the land would not discriminate anybody.

“We must take uniform standard,” said the bench when senior advocate Fali S Nariman pressed for hearing the matter on coming Monday.

Mr Nariman said, “I don’t ask for any favour. Only hear me for five minutes on Monday.” He argued that Dutt deserved to be released on bail as the copy of the judgment was yet to be provided to the actor at the time of pronouncement of the sentence under the Article 21 of the constitution.

“The problem is (that) he is entitled to bail, it is his implied statutory right to be released on bail.”

Dutt had spent 16 months behind bars and did not violate any condition during his bail for the past 12 years, he said. 

Issuing notice to the Maharashtra government and the CBI, the Apex Court said, “All the cases arising from the Mumbai blasts judgement would be taken up on August 20.” Apart from Dutt’ plea, the court would take up the matter of A A Mohmad Ahmed Shaikh, Ibrahim Musa, Aziz Sheikh, Jabamusha and Sameer, who have already challenged their conviction by the TADA Court.

Ibrahim Musa alias Chauhan also approached the Apex Court on Friday seeking bail besides challenging his conviction. Perusing the brief arguments by his advocate Shree Prakash Sinha, the same Bench issued notice to the investigating agency and Maharashtra government to file their replies by the next date of hearing.

Musa sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment was found guilty of supplying weapons to Dutt and was charged under TADA, Arms Act and Explosive Substances Act.