Jodhpur April (TNS): Actor Salman Khan, on Thursday, was convicted in the 19-year-old blackbuck poaching case. The others involved – actors Saif Ali Khan, Tabu, Sonali Bendre and Neelam – have been given the benefit of doubt and acquitted as co-accused, as the evidence against them was not strong enough.
Jodhpur resident Dushyant Singh, one of the co-accused, has also been acquitted. Public prosecutor Bhawani Singh will reply in court to Salman’s lawyer Hastimal Saraswat’s arguments on the sentence.
Mr. Khan has been involved in four cases related to the blackbuck/chinkara poaching cases. He has been accused of killing two chinkaras at Bhavad village in September 1998, a chinkara at the Rajasthan’s Ghoda farms in October 1998 and two blackbucks near Kankani village in October 1998. In addition, he was also accused of using two firearms with alleged expired licences.
Today’s verdict pertains to the alleged killing of two blackbucks in Kankani village.
Mr. Khan has been convicted under Section 9 and 51 of Wildlife Protection Act. Maximum sentence under the law is six years.
Here is a brief timeline of the case:
September-October 1998 – Salman Khan, along with his co-stars from Hum Saath Saath Hain, are accused of blackbucks/chinkaras during the shooting for the film
February 2006 – He is convicted under the Wildlife Act and given a one-year jail term, for killing two chinkaras at Bhavad village in September 1998. This is overturned after an appeal.
April 2006 – A Jodhpur sessions court gives him a five-year-sentence, in the second chinkara case, where he was accused of hunting a blackbuck in Ghoda farms. He spends three days in jail after which he is granted bail.
June 2006 – A local Jodhpur court frams charges against the actors in the third case. The charges were framed against Salman Khan under Section 51 (hunting) of the Wildlife Protection Act and against actors Saif Ali Khan, Tabu, Sonali Bendre, Neelam and local resident Dushyant Singh under Section 52 (abetment) of the Act.
November 2013 – Rajasthan High Court suspends the five-year sentence given in April 2006.
January 2015 – Supreme Court sets aside Rajasthan High Court’s stay on the sentence.
July 2016 – Rajasthan High Court acquits Salman Khan in the two chinakara poaching cases.
January 2017 – Jodhpur court acquits Mr. Khan in the Arms Case, where he was accused of possessing and weapons with an expired licence during the hunt for the endangered chinkaras and blackbucks. TNS/The Hindu
