A court in the western Indian city of Mumbai (Bombay) has extended Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt's bail by two days.

Last month, the actor was found guilty of possessing illegal weapons during the serial blasts in the city in 1993.

Dutt was on bail till Monday. He had approached the court for an extension so that he could finish his movies and visit his daughter in the US.

The bombings which targeted some of Mumbai's busiest commercial areas had killed 257 people.

Earlier, his lawyer, Farhana Shah told the BBC, "He is an actor and he cannot leave his film assignments half way, causing financial loss to the producers and ruining his reputation."

High-profile

The actor also wanted to spend Christmas holidays with his daughter, Trishala, who is studying in the United States, and take decisions regarding his father's estate after his death, she said.

One of the most high-profile accused in the case, Sanjay Dutt was arrested by the police in 1993 and spent 18 months in jail before being released on bail.

The actor was originally charged with five offences, including criminal conspiracy and possession of illegal weapons. He faces up to 10 years in jail, lawyers say.

Dutt is one of Bollywood's top actors and has delivered this year's big hit, Lage Raho Munnabhai (Carry on Munnabhai).

Thirteen years after the trial began, the court last month convicted 100 of the 123 accused of various crimes connected with the blasts.

The remaining 23 were acquitted.

Now the court is hearing arguments from the defence and the prosecution to decide on the sentences to be awarded to each accused.

Prosecution lawyers say this process will take at least another month.

source:BBC