Famous Bollywood star Sanjay Dutt will spend six years in prison after a court sentenced him for illegal possession of weapons that were given to him before the Mumbai serial blasts back in 1993.

Dutt received a AK-56 rifle and a 9 mm pistol from collaborators of gangster Dawood Ibrahim, who is the main suspect in the bloody attacks that took 257 lives on March 12, 1993 in Mumbai.

The actor was accused of illegal possession, but was cleared of charges tying him to the terrorist acts that have been labeled as the bloodiest in India’s history. The judge considered as “imminent dangerous act” the possession of a weapons with large destructive force, even if 48-year-old Dutt didn’t use the fire arms.

Dutt, who already spent 16 months in prison after being arrested in April 1993 as part of the preliminary investigation, said the weapons were bought in order to secure his family’s protection after sectarian violence broke out in the country’s capital.

Nevertheless, presiding Judge PD Kode said he chose the wrong method of protecting his family and instigated others to committing a crime, referring to Yusuf Nulwala and Kersi Adjania who allegedly destroyed the rifle.

“I must say for every citizen, laws of the nation shall be respected. If you don't, I don't expect you to be called a moral person. If you want to protect your family, you can take a lawful step. But an unlawful step for the purpose cannot be considered noble,” the judge said.

”He not only committed a crime himself but also made others commit a crime by asking them to destroy the weapon.”

Dutt’s two friends were also convicted to five years, respectively two years in prison for concealing the infraction and committing one themselves. All three men were sentenced to “rigorous imprisonment,” which equals to hard labour in a detention facility.

Before being taken to the Arthur Road jail, Dutt reportedly hugged his family present in the court room in a moving scene that revealed a softer side of the man that often plays negative characters in his movies like gangsters.