Author:
Publication: Outlook
Date: May 8, 2003
URL: http://outlookindia.com/pti_news.asp?id=140367
Observing that tridents cannot be
considered weapons, a local court has granted anticipatory bail to five
VHP activists accused of displaying trishuls, banned in Rajasthan under
the Arms Act.
Additional District and Sessions
Judge Ajai Kumar Jain yesterday granted anticipatory bail to the five VHP
leaders.
He said a trident cannot be considered
a weapon or an article for offence or defence.
The judge said "every double edged
and pointed object cannot be considered as arms". Trident cannot be placed
in this category, if it is small and has not been designed as a weapon,
he said.
The judge said every double edged
and pointed object cannot be considered as a weapon under the arms act.
Tridents cannot be placed in the category of arms if it is not designed
as a weapon, he said.
The court said the government notification
banning possesion and distribution of tridents does not give any measurement
of the object to be considered as weapon and asked "can a table fork be
considered as a weapon".
Since there was nothing to be recovered
from the accused against whom police had registered cases for displaying
tridents at a Trishul Deeksha programme of VHP on April 21 they are being
granted anticipatory bail, the court said.
It may be recalled that senior VHP
leader Praveen Togadia was arrested in the state last month for defying
the ban on tridents by performing a Trishul Diksha in Ajmer.
