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TEXT EIGHT After receiving a six-year prison sentenceon July 31st, Sanjay Dutt, an Indian film star, begged for bail while heappealed against it. Sir, I made a mistake, he said. But the judgesaid no. Mr Dutts crime-tohave procured two guns from Muslim mobsters who were responsible for bombattacks in Mumbai in 1993-was serious. Yet he urged Mr Dutt, 48, to return tothe silver screen after serving his sentence. Dont get perturbed, he said. Youhave many years to go and work, like the Mackennas Gold actorGregory Peck. Thus ended one of the longestsong-and-dances in Indiascriminal legal history. Mr Dutt was convicted last year, having already spent16 months in jail. He was acquitted of direct involvement in the bombings,which killed 257 people. They were carried out in 1993 in revenge for thedemolition of an ancient mosque in the Hindu holy city of Ayodhya by Hindufanatics, and subsequent Hindu-Muslim rioting. Some 100 people have been foundguilty of the bombing. They have all been sentenced in the past three months,including a dozen to death and 20 to life- imprisonment. But the allegedmasterminds of the attacks are still at large. One of them, a Mumbai gangstercalled Dawood Ibrahim, is alleged by Indian officials to be linked to al-Qaedaand to be hiding in Pakistan. Despite the bleak immediate outlook, MrDutt, who made his name playing tough-guy anti-heroes, is unlikely to find hiscareer much damaged. The son of two of Bollywoodsbiggest stars, a Hindu-Muslim couple, he has garnered enormous sympathy for hissuffering. Many Indians believe his claim that he wanted the guns to protecthis family during the riots. Other Bollywood stars express support for Mr Duttas passionately as their Hollywood peers worry about global warming. | 
