Salman's acquittal in Act case 'defeat of judicial system': Abha Singh

Senior advocate Abha Singh on Wednesday expressed her disappointment after Bollywood actor Salman Khan was acquitted in the Arms Act case and dubbed it to be the defeat of the country's judicial system.

Singh told that the actor has been acquitted one after the other in all cases including the 2002 hit-and-run case, the Chinkara case and now the Arms Act case on the ground of lack of evidence.

"That is what the courts have said or the evidences were not put properly before the court. Who should be held responsible for this? Why is justice being defeated? Just because the police and the prosecution have not put up a water-tight case. It is not Salman Khan's victory but defeat of police and prosecution. It is the defeat of the judicial system," Singh said.

The senior advocate asserted that it needs to be investigated whether the actor's act was intentional or purposeful and demanded that the Supreme Court must now look into the matter.

"The benefit has gone to Salman Khan because he is a celebrity. Time has come for the Supreme Court to look into this matter seriously that whether there was some hidden hand or process which was trying to defeat justice as it appears," she said.

Meanwhile, another advocate Ujjwal Nikam said it is now for the concerned state government to decide whether they should approach the higher court in connection with this case.

"The off-shoot was that he was having the weapon, but without licence. Basically he was holding the licence, but it was expired. I think he has been acquitted technically," said Nikam.

"It is for the concerned government to decide to appeal to the preferred or not, what evidence is to be marshalled in the court and what was the defence? Those facts have to be taken into consideration by the court and the government," he added.

Earlier on January 9, the Jodhpur District session court had fixed January 18 for announcing its decision on the same.

The date for pronouncing the judgment was fixed after the court heard the final arguments from both sides which were completed on January 9.

Magistrate Dalpat Singh Rajpurohit directed the actor to be present in the court during pronouncement of the order.

A case against Khan was registered under the Arms Act earlier in October 1998 for alleged use and possession of arms with expired license during alleged poaching of two black bucks in Kankani village of Rajasthan.

The case was filed by the state's forest department.

Earlier in 2007, the actor spent a week in jail in Jodhpur before being granted bail.