Tuesday, June 21 2005 22:18 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Mumbai: Eighty-six accused in 1993 serial blast case, including actor Sanjay Dutt, were today (Jun 21, 2005) exempted till August 18 by a designated TADA court in Mumbai.

Designated Judge P D Kode has asked all the accused, who are on bail, to appear before him on August 18.

Thirty other accused, in custody, were also produced before the court. They are lodged in central prison, adjacent to the court.

Sanjay is facing the charge of possessing an AK-56 rifle and destroying the weapon. CBI has alleged that underworld don Abu Salem had gone to his residence along with other accused to deliver the weapon.

The actor has denied the charges and the witnesses also did not support the prosecution's case.

CBI has examined 686 witnesses and the evidence has crossed 13,000 pages. The accused are charged with carrying out serial blasts on March 12, 1993, killing 256 people and injuring 713 others besides damaging property worth Rs 27 crore.