Salman Khan gets a five year jail term in Blackbuck case

Actor Salman Khan has received a five year jail term after being convicted in the 1998 blackbuck poaching case by the Jodhpur Court. All the other accused actors have been acquitted. The actor has been taken to the Centrail Jail in Jodhpur.

The lawyers will apply in the High Court.

Here is what the case was about-

What is the Black Buck Poaching Case?

While shooting for the film Hum Sath Sath Hai, Salman Khan allegedly shot two blackbucks in Kanakani village in Jodhpur on the night of October 2, 1998. The Bishnoi community of Rajasthan filed a complaint against the actor. Other actors involved in the case were Saif Ali Khan, Sonali Bendre, Tabu and Neelam.

Charges against Salman Khan

There were two charges against Salman Khan. The first one was poaching and the other was offences under the Arms Act. Blackbucks are among the endangered animals listed in the Wild Life (Protection) Act 1972, and cannot be hunted.

Cases against Salman Khan

Salman was accused in four cases:-

1. Kankani Black Buck Poaching Case: On October 2, 1998, Salman Khan allegedly hunted two blackbucks.
2. The killing of Chinkaras (endangered gazelle): Salman Khan allegedly hunted Chinkaras in Rajasthan’s Bhawad area in September of 1998
3. Ghoda Farm Poaching Case: On September 28, 1998, Salman allegedly hunted two Chinkaras near Ghoda Farm area in Osian region of Jodhpur.
4. Arms Act: The forest officials recovered a .32 revolver and .22 rifle from Actor’s hotel room. The weapons were seized on October 15, 1998, while Salman Khan’s arm license had already expired on September 22, 1998.

Status of other cases

1. The killing of Chinkaras (endangered gazelle): Salman was sentenced to one-year rigorous imprisonment by the Court of Chief Judicial Magistrate in 2006. He was acquitted by Rajasthan high court in July 2016.
2. Ghoda Farm Poaching Case: Salman Khan was sentenced to five years rigorous imprisonment in 2006. In 2017, Judge Nirmaljeet Kaur discharged Salman Khan in Ghoda Farm case.
3. Arms Act: Salman Khan was acquitted in January 2017 because of weak evidence presented in court.