On April 5, 2018, the Jodhpur court sentenced Salman Khan, one of the biggest superstars of Bollywood, to five years in jail and sent him to Jodhpur central jail for killing two blackbucks in 1998, as they were an endangered species. Not only Salman Khan but four other actors – Saif Ali Khan, Neelam, Sonali Bendre and Tabu – were accused and then acquitted in the case.
How Did The Case Start?
When Khan was shooting for the movie “Hum Saath Saath Hain” in the year 1998 in Rajasthan, he allegedly went on a shooting expedition along with Saif Ali Khan, Tabu, and Neelam and then they claimed to have killed two blackbucks in Jodhpur’s Kankani village.
After the death of the blackbucks, several protests were held by the Bishnoi community and then a case was filed against Salman Khan and the other actors who were present with him.
Khan has been charged under Section 51 of the Wildlife Protection Act, while the other actors were charged under the same section with abetting poaching and illegal assembly (section 149 of the Indian Penal Code).
Here is a brief timeline of the cases:
September-October 1998: Salman Khan along with other actors are accused of killing blackbucks during the shooting of the film “Hum Saath Saath Hain”.
February 2006: Salman is convicted under the Wildlife Act and given one year jail but this sentence is overturned after an appeal.
April 2006: A Jodhpur sessions court gives him a five year prison term in the second case where he spends three days in jail and gets bail.
June 2006: From Jodhpur court ,charges were framed against Salman under Section 51 (hunting of wildlife) along with other stars of the movie.
November 2013: The Rajasthan High Court suspends the five year sentence.
January 2015: The Supreme court issues a notice to the actor, challenging the Rajasthan High Court’s order of suspending his conviction.
July 2016: The High Court acquits Khan in the two blackbuck poaching cases.
January 2017: Jodhpur court acquits Khan in the arms case,where he was accused of having weapons with an expired license.
At a hearing in January 2017, Salman Khan said that the blackbucks died due to natural causes and also claimed that he was being targeted by forest department officials.
Salman Khan’s lawyer Anand desai released an official statement saying, “We respect the decision of honourable court.”
The question on everybody’s mind is whether the 52-year-old actor will finally serve his jail sentence this time round.
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