The NCP Friday said the acquittal of all 22 accused in the alleged fake encounter killings of gangster Sohrabuddin Shaikh and two others was "not shocking" as the outcome of the case was "pre-decided".
The NCP also alleged that several witnesses in the case turned hostile "under pressure" and "cases were taken away from certain judges".
NCP spokesperson Nawab Malik said the CBI, which investigated the case, should immediately appeal in a higher court.
"Acquittal of all 22 accused in the Sohrabuddin case is not shocking, because the outcome of the case was pre-decided. A situation was created and 85 witnesses turned hostile under pressure. Cases were taken away from certain judges too. CBI must now approach higher courts," he said.
"The judgement is not surprising. There are clear indications that under pressure, a system was created and the judgement delivered," Malik added, without naming anyone.
A special CBI court here on Friday acquitted all the 22 accused in the alleged fake encounter killings of gangster Sohrabuddin Shaikh, his wife Kausar Bi and his aide Tulsi Prajapati, citing 'insufficient evidence'.
Special CBI Judge S J Sharma in his ruling said the court felt sorry for the families of Shaikh and Prajapati as "three lives were lost". But the system demands that the court go solely by evidence, he added.
All the accused were out on bail during the year-long trial.
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