Jodhpur: Salman Khan accused of lying to skip court appearance in blackbuck poaching case

Jaipur: The prosecution in blackbuck poaching case has accused Bollywood actor Salman Khan of excusing himself from a court appearance by making a false claim of earache.

The prosecution submitted a plea in the Jodhpur court demanding action against the actor. Salman Khan submitted an application through his lawyer saying that he was suffering from earache, so he would not be able to appear before the court for hearing. The prosecution alleged Salman was participating in shoot of his movie – Bajrangi Bhaijan – when he excused himself from the court appearance.

The prospection’s application was to come up for hearing in the court of chief judicial magistrate (rural), but it could not take place. The hearing has been postponed to August 22.

Then forest officer Lalit Boda submitted the application through the prosecution lawyer demanding action against the actor. The prospection has alleged that the actor tried to mislead the court by making a false excuse.

Salman Khan had appeared before a Jodhpur district and sessions court on August 4 in connection with an Arms Act case in which he was acquitted in January.

He deposited a bail bond of Rs 20,000.The court scheduled October 5 as the next date for hearing in the case. While Khan was acquitted due to insufficient evidence on January 18, the prosecution appealed the decision. It’s likely the court set October 5 to hear that prosecution appeal.

Khan was charged in October 1998 for possession of an unlicensed .22 rifle and a .32 revolver and for using them to poach two black bucks in Jodhpur’s Kankani village.

During the shooting of Sooraj Barjatya’s movie, ‘Hum Saath Saath Hain’, in 1998, Khan allegedly went on a shooting expedition along with actors Saif Ali Khan, Neelam, Sonali Bendre and Tabu, killing two blackbucks in Kankani village.

Following protests by the local Bishnoi community, a case was later filed against Salman and the other actors.

Salman had a total of four separate cases registered against him in connection with the poaching of blackbucks and chinkara.  Two of these cases were registered under section 51 of Wildlife (Protection) Act for poaching of two blackbucks in village Bhawad on 26-27 September, 1998 and one chinkara in Mathania (Ghoda Farm) on September 28-29, 1998.

In these two cases pertaining to the Wildlife Protection Act, the Rajasthan high court acquitted the actor in July, 2016.

The third case is pertaining to the use of illegal arms for poaching. The judgement in this case came on Wednesday.

Another case under the Wildlife Protection Act is still under trial. This case is regarding the poaching of two blackbucks near Kakandi village on the intervening night of October 1 and October 2, 1998.

Related story: ‘I am innocent,’ Salman Khan tells Jodhpur court in poaching case