Actor Salman Khan was found guilty on Thursday in the 1998 blackbuck poaching case and was sentenced to five years in jail. The other four accused stars — Sonali Bendre, Saif Ali Khan, Tabu and Neelam — were acquitted of all charges.
The trial of the case was in progress since the last 19 years and the judge in a court here had reserved the order after the final arguments on March 28. Arguments were in progress in the court regarding the quantum of punishment for Salman.
Salman was accused in the case which took place while he was shooting for the film “Hum Saath-Saath Hain” in 1998. Jeev Raksha Bishnoi Sabha has protested against the decision of acquitting the other accused stars. Their acquittal will be challenged in the high court, said Shivraj Bishnoi, state president of the organisation.
Live updates on Blackbuck case 1998
2.20 pm:A penalty of Rs 10,000 also levied on Salman.
2.15 pm: Salman Khan sentenced to five years in jail.This means that he cannot get bail from Jodhpur court.
1.40 pm: Loss to Bollywood industry if Salman Khan is jailed: Currently working on four films, with Race 3 set for an Eid 2018 release. The expected budget for the film is slated to be around Rs 100 to Rs 120 crore. Salman has also signed Ali Abbas Zafar’s Bharat, Dabanng 3 and Kick 2. He also hosts the reality TV show Bigg Boss.
1.11 pm: We’ll analyse the judgement. We want an immediate appeal to be filed against those who have been acquitted and we also demand maximum punishment for Salman Khan: Rampal Bhawad, State President, Bishnoi Tigers Vanya Evam Paryavaran Sanstha
1.09 pm:If Salman Khan is sentenced to more than three years in jail, the actor will have to move the Rajasthan High Court and seek bail.
1.07 pm: 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 go to prison.
12.30 pm: 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.
12.20 pm: The prosecution has demanded the maximum punishment for Salman Khan.
12.14 pm: Congress leader Rajiv Shukla has said that Salman Khan will now have to abide by the ruling of the court. Senior advocate Ram Jethmalani further went on to say that the actor “probably deserves” it.
12.07 pm: Judge to pronounce verdict soon. Chief Judicial Magistrate Dev Kumar Khatri has now stepped out of his chamber, while everyone else remained seated. He is expected to decide on the quantum of punishment in a while.
12.00 pm: Court hearing concluded.
11.54 am: Salman Khan’s lawyer pleads for probation or minimum punishment
11.48 am: Argument on quantum of sentence in progress
11.44 am: Actors Saif Ali Khan, Tabu, Sonali Bendre, and Neelam, the co-accused in the case, have been acquitted in the 1998 case blackbuck poaching case.
11.30 am: Jodhpur court convicts Salman Khan, acquits rest in 1998 blackbuck poaching case
- 22 am: Security is heavily beefed up outside the court premises after Salman received a death threat. Salman arrived with his bodyguard Shera at the Jodhpur court.
10.50 am: Saif Ali Khan, Salman Khan, Sonali Bendre, Tabu arrive in Jodhpur court.
Salman Khan’s hit and run case, 2002: Around 2 a.m. Salman Khan’s Toyota Land Cruiser rams into a roadside bakery in Bandra West, close to his Galaxy Apartments seafront home. Five people sleeping are injured, one of whom later dies. Later that afternoon, Salman arrested by Bandra police and enlarged on bail by a Bandra Metropolitan Magistrate court.
In 2013, sessions court framed charges against Salman invoking the enhanced charge of culpable homicide not amounting to murder.
Additional Sessions Judge D W Deshpande pronounced Salman Khan guilty in 2002 hit-and-run case; sentenced him to five years in jail; the Bombay High Court grants interim bail to Salman Khan.
An RTI query revealed that the Maharashtra government does not have any “information” on Bollywood actor Salman Khan’s 2002 hit-and-run case as the files pertaining to it were gutted in a fire at Mantralaya. In 2015, Salman Khan was acquitted of all charges by the Bombay High Court.
* Police personnel deployed outside Jodhpur court ahead of the verdict in Blackbuck poaching case. Saif Ali Khan,Neelam & Sonali Bendre’s lawyer says,’if they are found guilty then there is equal punishment for all. Maximum punishment will be for six years and minimum one year.’
* Saif Ali Khan loses temper over media questions in Jodhpur
The other actors accused in the case, other than Salman Khan, too have been bombarded with questions.
On Wednesday, Saif Ali Khan got annoyed over media questions and snapped at his driver. In the video clip that has gone viral on social media, a bearded Khan is heard telling his driver, “Sheehsa upar karo aur reverse kar lo varna padegi ek (put the window up and reverse the car or else you will get slapped)”.
* 2002 hit and run case: Khan was acquitted by the Bombay High Court in December 2015 after being found guilty in the case earlier that year; one person was killed and four injured in the incident.
