Salman must withdraw his comments: Ujjwal Nikam

Says tweets made by Salman Khan are highly objectionable

Ujjwal Nikam, the special prosecutor in the 1993 Mumbai blasts case, today took a strong exception to Salman Khan's tweets in defence of the death-row convict in the case Yakub Memon, and said the actor must withdraw them.

Speaking to PTI, Nikam said, "Tweets made by Salman Khan are highly objectionable" and were an attempt to "undermine the image of the Indian Judiciary."

"I would like to ask him whether he knew about the criminal conspirators, or did he term Yakub Memon as innocent from his personal knowledge," the lawyer said.

"Does it not mean that by making such remark he is insulting the departed souls of 257 people who lost their lives in the attack on the city and (doesn't he know that) court of law has held Yakub guilty for such a terrorist conspiracy?" asked Nikam, who was the prosecutor throughout the marathon trial and who had sought death for Yakub in the court.

Salman Khan was a celebrity and he should not be misleading his followers, Nikam said, adding "I expect Salman to withdraw his statements without further delay."

"The stability of a country largely relies on two main factors. First, the common man has faith in the currency of the country and second, the same common man has faith in the judiciary.

"Hence, his unwarranted remark about a convict has misplaced (sic) the faith of a common man in judiciary," Nikam said.

In his series of tweets, Salman had said that not Yakub but his fugitive brother Tiger Memon, believed to be hiding in Pakistan, must be hanged for his role in the 1993 blasts.