Bollywood Superstar Salman Khan found guilty for killing blackbucks in 1998 and send to Jodhpur court On thursday.
A Jodhpur court on Thursday sentenced Salman Khan to 5 year prison term in the 1998 blackbuck killing case. The actor has also been fined a penalty for Rs 10,000. He is being taken to Jodhpur Central Jail, where he will be spending the night.
His bail plea hearing is scheduled for Friday morning. The actor is likely to appeal against the verdict in the Rajasthan High Court.
Khan had earlier spent a total of 18 days in the Jodhpur jail in 1998, 2006 and 2007, all for cases of poaching.
The ‘Dabangg’ star had a total of four cases against him related to the 1998 poaching incident. Three of these cases were to do with violations of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, while the fourth case, in which he was acquitted last year, was for an Arms Act violation.
The blackbuck is an endangered species protected under the Indian Wildlife Act.
His ‘Hum Saath Saath Hain’ co-stars, Saif Ali Khan, Tabu, Sonali Bendre, Neelam, who were co-accused, have been acquitted in the case. A fifth person, Dushyant Singh, a local businessman from the area, has also been acquitted. The Bishnoi Sabha has decided to appeal against these acquittals.
JODHPUR: Convicting Salman Khan for killing blackbucks in 1998, a judge in Jodhpur emphasized that the “accused is a film star and people look up to him”. The 52-year-old superstar was sentenced to five years in prison and taken straight to the Jodhpur Central Jail from court.
“Since the accused is a film star, people follow him and look up to him. And the way he killed innocent deer, and because there is rampant poaching…,” said the judge, explaining his decision.
Four other Bollywood stars, Saif Ali Khan, Sonali Bendre, Tabu and Neelam Kothari, were acquitted for lack of evidence.
“Salman Khan has been convicted under the wildlife protection act and the rest of the stars have been acquitted,” prosecutor Mahipal Bishnoi told reporters.
Salman Khan, known for his tough guy roles in Hindi films, had denied shooting the antelopes and had accused the state’s forest department of framing him over the black buck case.
He was cleared in 2015 of killing a homeless man in a hit-and-run accident in 2002. That decision is now being challenged in the Supreme Court.
Salman Khan’s conviction hits the Hindi film industry hard. Around Rs. 700 crore is riding on the star, one of the most bankable in Bollywood.
Salman Khan Inside Jodhpur Court
Here’s the exclusive footage to salman khan going inside prison of Jodhpur jail.
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