UNI 
       
MUMBAI, dec 19: A day before expiry of the deadline set by the TADA court for filmstar Sanjay Dutt to surrender following his conviction in the 1993 serial bomb blasts case, the actor on Monday moved the court for extending it till an unspecified period.
 
The application seeking extension has been listed for hearing on Tuesday and Dutt is expected to be present in the court of designated judge Pramod Kode who had pronounced him guilty under the Arms Act on November 30. He faces up to 10 years imprisonment.
 
Although the application did not mention the period for which the actor has sought extension, yet it is tantamount to seeking time till the court has heard arguments on the quantum of punishment and passed punishment orders in respect of all those listed before him in the chargesheet.
 
The defence completed arguments in respect of only 35 of the 100 convicts. After the defence completes arguments in respect of the remaining 65, the prosecution will field arguments in respect of all the convicts.
 
After completion of this second phase of the serial verdict in the serial bomb blasts that killed 257 people and wounded 713, the court will start pronouncing detail punishment orders for each convict.
 
Sanjay was listed as accused number 117 in the chargesheet filed against 123 accused.
 
Legal sources said it could take a few more months for the judge to pronounce punishment in respect of the actor.
 
The court took 84 days to deliver a verdict in respect of all the 123 accused, 23 of who were acquitted. It has taken two weeks to record the statements of 35 convicts so far.