A Jodhpur court has convicted Salman Khan in a 19-year-old blackbuck poaching case. Co-accused Saif Ali Khan, Tabu, Sonali Bendre and Neelam have been acquitted. Salman faces between one and six years in jail now that he has been convicted in the blackbuck case.
What's the road ahead of Salman Khan? There are two scenarios now. If Salman Khan gets less than three years in jail, the trial court itself can grant the actor bail, which would mean Salman will not immediately got to prison. However, if he is sentenced to more than three years in jail, the actor will have to move the Rajasthan High Court and seek bail, which could potentially see the actor spending a night in jail.
While arguing on the quantum of punishment, the prosecution called Salman Khan a habitual offender. Salman's lawyer strongly opposed the statement, saying that Salman has been acquitted from higher courts. Salman is involved in social service, the actor's lawyer also told the court.
Salman has been charged with poaching the endangered antelopes under section 9/51 of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972, and can face up to six years in jail, if convicted.
Actors Saif Ali Khan, Sonali Bendre, Tabu and Neelam Kothari and a local resident, Dushyant Singh, are also among the accused in the case. They have been charged with inciting him to poach the two animals under section 9/51 read with 52 of the wildlife protection act and illegal assembly under section 149 of the Indian Penal Code. The punishment will be the same as that for poaching with a minimum jail term of one year and the maximum of six years.
Timeline
October 2, 1998: Forest department registers a report against Salman Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Tabu, Neelam Kothari, Sonali Bendre, Dushyant Singh and Dinesh Ganware for allegedly killing two blackbucks. The complaint was filed after an investigation.
October 12, 1998: Forest department arrests Salman, and keeps him in custody for two days. He spends four days in jail from October 15 to October 17.
November 9, 2000: Chief judicial magistrate of a local court in Jodhpur takes cognizance of the matter.
February 19, 2006: Charges are framed against the accused after the arguments are presented.
March 23, 2013: Revised charges are framed against all accused by the trial court. Repeated revision petitions, first by the defence in the session court and then by the prosecution in the high court, hold up the trial for seven years.
May, 2013: Trial in the case begins in the chief judicial magistrate court. At least 28 witnesses from the prosecution side are produced for examination. Statements of Salman and other accused are recorded.
January 13, 2017: Deposition is completed in the trial court.
January 27, 2017: All accused appear before the chief judicial magistrate court for recording their statements.
September 13, 2017: Final arguments begin in the trial court.
March 28, 2018: Final arguments completed. Chief judicial magistrate Dev Kumar Khatri reserves judgement for April 5.
April 5, 2018: Court convicts Salman. Gives benefit of doubt to other accused including actors Saif, Tabu and Neelam, and acquits them.
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