Poaching verdict: Court sentences Salman Khan to 5-year-imprisonment
Police takes Salman Khan into custody; the actor to be lodged in Jodhpur central jail under heavy security
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Salman Khan appeared in a Jodhpur court in connection with a poaching case.
Jaipur: Bollywood superstar Salman Khan was sentenced to five years imprisonment in connection with nearly 20-year-old blackbuck poaching case. Salman Khan was arrested by the police and taken into custody immediately after the court pronounced the judgement. He will be lodged in Jodhpur Central Jail.
Earlier in the day, he was convicted by a court in Jodhpur, while other accused – including Saif Ali Khan, Tabu, Sonali Bendre and Neelam were acquitted in the same case.
The court of chief judicial magistrate (Jaipur rural) imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 on the actor.
Salman received the punishment under sections 9 and section 51 of the Wildlife Protection Act. The law has the provision of a maximum imprisonment of six years. As soon as the judgement was pronounced, other actors left the courtroom, while the police took Salman Khan into custody. He can appeal against the judgement in the district and sessions court. His lawyers also filed an application in the court that will come up for hearing on Thursday.
The actor was being taken to Jodhpur Central Jail till the reports last came in. Sources said that he will be kept under heavy security as some members of a gang headed by a criminal who had threatened him recently are lodged in the same jail.
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. He was acquitted in this case too.
In the fourth case, he has been pronounced guilty. This case is regarding the poaching of two blackbucks near Kakandi village on the intervening night of October 1 and October 2, 1998.
