From our Correspondent

TANGLA, Aug 3: Tears rolled down his cheeks and smiles adorned his face when Sudarshan Deka, an accused booked under the Arms Act in 1993, spoke to this correspondent after having been acquitted on August 1 by Udalguri Chief Judicial Magistrate DJ Mahanta.

Narrating his sad story, Sudarshan Deka (45) said on 28/12/1993 he was arrested by police allegedly for possessing one unlicensed pistol and he was booked under section 25(1) (a) of the Arms Act 1959. He was then produced before the Chief Judicial Magistrate Court at Darrang, Mangaldai and from then he had been languishing under court processes till the end of 2011 at Mangaldai court. In 2012, his case was transferred to newly created Udalguri Chief Judicial Magistrate Court with the change of the court jurisdiction.

According to Sudarshan Deka, the Udalguri CJM DJ Mahanta recorded his statement and listened to the arguments from Additional Public Prosecutor Bipul Chetry and defence Counsel Dr Keshab Ch Dutta and on August 1 and acquitted him by an order saying the prosecution has failed to prove the case.

 His acquittal after about 19 years of the battle has brought happiness and relief to him and his family members, said Sudarshan. He lamented, he was falsely implicated in the case and during this long-drawn legal battle he and his family had suffered immense mental, physical and financial losses.