The Supreme Court on Friday permitted Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt [Images], accused in 1993 Mumbai bomb blast case, who is on bail, to proceed to Africa after his return from abroad on September 18.

A bench comprising K G Balakrishnan and Justice P Sathasivam granted the permission to Dutt to redeposit his passport by November 20, after he returns from Africa on completion of his shooting assignment.

Earlier, senior counsel F S Nariman appearing before the court submitted that Sanjay Dutt will deposit his passport to CBI on September 18 as per the directions from the court, according to which Dutt was to submit his passport to CBI latest by September 30, 2008.

Additional Solicitor General Gopal Subramaniam did not oppose the application of Dutt.

Sanjay Dutt has been sentenced to six years of imprisonment under the Arms Act for possessing illegal arms by TADA court Mumbai. He has, however, been given a clean chit under the Terrorist and Disruptive Activities (Prevention) (TADA) Act.