Surrounding Salman Khan's sentence
6 April 2018 3:47 PM GMT
Bollywood star Salman Khan has been sentenced to five years imprisonment and a fine of Rs 10,000 in the 20-year-old blackbuck poaching case. Giving the benefit of doubt, Saif Ali Khan, Tabu, Sonali Bendre, Neelam have been acquitted. Salman has filed a bail petition in the CJM court which on Friday said will the hear the case on Saturday. Salman Khan could not get a bail from the trial court as the quantum of punishment is more than three years. Salman spent Thursday night in the Jodhpur Central jail, where he is prisoner number 106. He has been lodged in a barrack next to the barrack of Asaram Bapu. Ordinary prisoners are not permitted to visit this area. During the shooting of film Hum Sath Sath Hain, Salman and his friends had hunted two blackbucks on October 1, 1998. Blackbuck is an endangered species of antelope and is protected by the law. A local court in Jodhpur on Friday adjourned Salman Khan's bail hearing in the 1998 blackbuck poaching case to Saturday. It also summoned the record of the trial from the lower court, his lawyers said. Khan has sought suspension of the sentence. "We told the court that the trial court has ignored many facts in its decision," Khan's counsel Mahesh Bora said. Khan has met all the conditions of the court, so his sentence should be suspended and he should be granted bail, Bora said. A copy of Khan's application was handed over to public prosecutor Pokarram Bishnoi on the court's direction. Bishnoi told the court that the records of the trial court should be summoned before taking a decision on the suspension of the sentence. The actor slept on four blankets on the floor in his barrack in the Jodhpur Central Jail. It has two ceiling fans. Lodged in the barrack next to Asaram Bapu's, the two inmates reportedly exchanged pleasantries before going to bed. This is the fourth occasion when Khan is spending time in the Jodhpur Central Jail. Jail officials denied the claim that the actor was given non-vegetarian food from a hotel. They said Salman ate the dinner that included dal, sabzi, and chapatis. Khan got up at around 8:15 am on Friday and didn't take the morning tea and breakfast, jail officials added.
The trial in the case began in May 2013, 15 years after the Bishnoi community reported the hunting incident on October 2, 1998. Salman had earlier been behind the bars from October 15 to October 17 in 1998. The second time the actor was sent to jail was in 2006. This time he was convicted of killing a chinkara near Mathania village. He was sentenced to five years of imprisonment in 2006 but he got out on a bail within three days. He again went to jail in 2007. This time his appeal against the conviction was rejected by the session court. He was sent to jail and he again came out on a bail granted by High court after five days in jail. Bollywood star Salman Khan is one of the highest-paid and most celebrated actors. He has given a wide range of hit films and he commands a huge fan following in the country. As per a report, with Salman Khan going to the jail, nearly Rs 800 cr of film projects will be stuck in the pipeline. Salman Khan has a "Bhai" image and true to this image the actor has been indulging in activities that can land him in trouble. The cases of blackbuck and chinkara hunting have proved too much for the actor to handle.
Reacting to Salman Khan's sentencing, Bollywood actor Varun Dhawan has said that Salman would come out of the current turmoil much stronger. "I know for a fact that Salman bhai and his family have the utmost respect and faith in our judiciary system. @BeingSalmanKhan is one of the strongest and most genuine people I know and I'm sure he will come out of this stronger," he tweeted. Simi Garewal said she does not believe that Salman had shot the endangered blackbuck. "Of one thing I am dead sure..@BeingSalmanKhan would NEVER EVER harm any animal. He loves them too much. The real culprit should be exposed. 20 years is too long to bear someone else's cross," she tweeted. Film personalities like Subhash Ghai, Arjun Rampal, Jaya Bachchan expressed their sadness over the issue. Veteran actor Kabir Bedi tweeted that he felt sad for Salman. "Feeling very sad that Salman Khan has been sentenced to 5 years in prison for allegedly shooting a black buck. 5 years! The length of the sentence seems excessive and must be appealed. @BeingSalmanKhan has all my sympathy and support. #WeLoveYouSalmanKhan."
Next Story
