Bollywood star Dutt ordered to jail in four weeks

New Delhi,April 17- India's supreme court has given Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt four weeks before he needs to return to jail to serve the rest of his prison term, in a case linked to bombings in the Mumbai in 1993.

Dutt, popular for his role in the Munna Bhai series of films, was sentenced to six years in jail in 2007 for acquiring illegal weapons from men convicted for the attacks in which 257 people were killed, but has been on bail ever since.

In March, the supreme court rejected the 53-year-old actor's final appeal against his conviction but reduced the sentence to five years and ordered him to return to prison on or before 18 April.

On Wednesday, the court gave a four-week reprieve to Dutt, who had wanted to his sentence deferred to finish a number of films.

Projects worth 2.5bn rupees (£17m) and the fate of several Bollywood films hang in the balance with Dutt heading back to jail.

"[He has] four weeks from tomorrow to surrender," Dutt's lawyer, Harish Salve, told Reuters in a text message.

The actor has at least four films in the pipeline, including Policegiri and a remake of the 1973 hit Zanjeer. He was also due to reprise his role in a third Munna Bhai film later this year.

"He is thankful, but he is still under pressure as to how he can finish six months of work in a month," said Rahul Aggarwal, the producer of Policegiri.

But legal experts said it was possible Dutt could seek yet another deferral.

"Nothing prevents him from approaching the supreme court [again]," Majid Memon, a lawyer, told the NDTV channel. "We'll have to wait after four weeks if he has some more compelling grounds."

Dutt had already spent 18 months in prison before being released on bail, so he will have to serve another three and a half years.

The actor was the most high profile of 100 people involved in the Mumbai bombings trial, which ended in 12 people receiving the death penalty and lifetime sentences for others.

In 2007, Dutt was cleared of conspiracy charges in the attacks, but found guilty of illegal possession of an AK-56 rifle and a pistol, which he claimed he required to protect himself and his family during a period of rioting in Mumbai.