Sanjay Dutt

He describes reporting the fact that he has been charged in India under the terrorism act in connection with the 1993 Bombay blasts that killed hundreds of people and maimed hundreds more as "defamation".

The Canadian reports and numerous others around the world were triggered by a news story in the last edition of The Asian Pacific Post headlined, 'Terror suspect shoots terror movie in Canada'.

The Calgary Herald which was the first to pick up our story, front paged their article with the headline - 'Bollywood terror suspect in India stars in movie shooting in Calgary: Ottawa grants entry permit'.

The story was an accurate portrayal of a sequence of events that ranged from Dutt being a Bollywood superstar, the charges against him, the movie shoot in Canada, an Indian court giving him permission to travel, his denial, etc.

The paper even quoted the producer who gave wrong information that the charges against Dutt were dropped.

For some unknown reason, Dutt and the Indian media keep falsely stating that the Canadian reports have branded the star as a terrorist.

Neither Dutt nor the Indian media make any mention of the editorial in the Calgary Herald which was supportive of the actor and the production.

Last weekend after leaving Calgary in a huff, Dutt was quoted in Los Angeles as saying the following about the Calgary Herald article:

It was a long half-page article ripping my reputation into bits. I've never been more hurt in my life.

"I'm consulting lawyers over here to see how best to tackle this situation. Yes, I've decided to sue the Calgary Herald for defamation. Enough is enough. Don't you think I've taken enough crap"

"They've spoken about my Islamic links and called me a terrorist. Which journalistic ethic allows such liberties How can they simply damn me this way It isn't as though any of the charges against me at home have been proven."

"I have full faith in our judiciary and I'm sure I'll get justice. But before I do, who gives this Canadian paper the right to condemn me so seriously I went as a guest of the Canadian government. This is not how one behaves with a guest."

"I want to know one thing. Where in the world is an individual branded a terrorist until he's proven guilty I couldn't believe the things written in Calgary Herald."

Well if Dutt cannot believe what is being written about him in Canada, he should read some of the stuff that is being written about him in India.

Judi Silva writes in Bollyvista.com, "Would you expect in this day and age for someone who is facing charges for alleged links to Islamic militants in his own country India, to be in Alberta, Canada filming a movie that casts him as an anti-terrorist agent Shockingly enough, it's the truth."

The Indian Express in an article stated that Dutt's closeness to the rich and powerful Thackeray clan play a vital role in him being released on bail.

The Tribune in a news story says that Dutt's father, Sunil Dutt, a politician - has repaid with actions the Sena Party "in gratitude for that party having bailed out his son Sanjay Dutt when he was involved in the serial bomb blast case in Mumbai in March 1993."

Zeenext.com in a report said - "The day Sanju's mother died, Sanju was high on drugs."

Mid-Day reported that "On Monday, advocate Sibal, (a lawyer in the bomb blast trial) while arguing the case said, Dutt has directly spoken to Karachi-based Chhota Shakeel (underwold don) over the phone several times. Police even have a recording of the conversation. Yet he is a witness and Shah the accused'."

The Free Press Journal in a report stated that the fact"Sanjay Dutt faces serious charges in the Mumbai bomb blasts case and had done a long stint in prison under TADA ought to have been enough for him to sever all his links with the resident and non-resident underworld dons. But clearly he had learnt no lessons from his bitter experience in the bomb blasts case. His family, notably, his father suffered on account of his role in the blasts case.

But Sanjay Dutt remained unmoved by the sorry plight of his father and family and continued with his links to the underworld."

Time Asia in a story entitled Married to the Mob reported "Also in the news is Chota Shakeel, Bombay's current boss of bosses, whom the local police claim they have on 71 tapes of bugged calls. Among Shakeel's alleged phone buddies are actors, directors and producers The top star on Shakeel's speed-dial list is Sanjay Dutt, son of actor-politician Sunil Dutt Bollywood's all time bad boy, Sanjay has a past littered with drugs, a love of guns and implication in a series of bomb blasts in Bombay in 1993."

There are other reports which make the Canadian news stories look tame in comparison.

If Sanjay Dutt wants to take aim at the media, he should start looking at what is being reported about him in his own backyard.

After all much of what has been reported in Canada originates from India.

Otherwise he should take a chill pill, beat the charges against him and come back and visit us.

The Asian Pacific Post