Mumbai, A court here today extended by two days its deadline for actor Sanjay Dutt to surrender in connection with the 1993 bomb blasts case, in which he has been convicted for illegally possessing arms.

The TADA court of Judge P D Kode also deferred till December 21 his petition seeking more time to give himself up.

Sanjay, convicted under the Arms Act on November 28 for possessing a 9mm pistol and an AK-56 rifle, was earlier granted time till today to surrender. He moved an application seeking further time on various grounds to surrender.

Clad in jeans and a blue shirt, Sanjay asked to be allowed to surrender when the final verdict is delivered or until such time as the court may permit. The CBI will file its views on his plea on December 21.

Sanjay said he needed to make arrangements for his daughter Trishala's education in the US. She is coming to India on December 23 and he needed to spend time with her.

He also said his father Sunil Dutt died without making a will and he needed time to manage the family's properties before surrendering.

Sanjay said he had incomplete film projects in hand and wanted to finish these assignments so that producers did not suffer losses.

He pleaded he would invoke the provisions of section 4 of the Probation of Offenders Act at the time of making submissions on his quantum of sentence. Under this provision, he can be released on bond on assurance of good conduct for a period not less than three years.

If he was taken into custody at this stage, he would not be able to seek relief under this Act, Sanjay's lawyers Farhana Shah and Satish Maneshinde pleaded.

Under the Arms Act, Sanjay faces a prison term of five to 10 years.