New Delhi: Bollywood superstar Salman Khan was on Wednesday acquitted in a case registered against him under the Arms Act. Khan was found “not guilty” of keeping an unlicensed weapon and using it for hunting black bucks, an endangered deer species.
Jodhpur Chief Judicial Magistrate Dalpat Singh Rajpurohit exonerated Khan in the matter, while holding that the prosecution had failed to produce evidence and witnesses to prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt.
In the 102-page order, the court did not find him accused in any of the sections filed against him under the Arms Act.
It was alleged by the prosecution that Khan used firearms with expired licences in the poaching of black bucks at Kankani, near Jodhpur, Rajasthan, on October 1, 1998.
Khan’s lawyer had argued that the actor only had air guns and there was no evidence that he had used firearms. An eyewitness for the prosecution never showed up.
The judge also said two post mortem reports on the deer listed different causes of death — dog-bite and gunshot wound.
Dressed in a crisp white shirt, 51-year-old Khan came to the Jodhpur court with his sister Alvira Khan. Within minutes, he was let off.
Hailing the decision, defence counsel Hasmukh Saraswat said the court “admitted our arguments that Khan was framed in this case”.
After the verdict, prosecution lawyer Bhawani Singh told media that Khan got THE benefit of doubt because the prosecution had failed to establish charges.
Minutes after he was acquitted, Khan tweeted, “thank you all for all the support and good wishes”
His father, lyricist Salim Khan, tweeted, “it’s a huge relief for us, we had full faith in judiciary.”
Over the years, Khan has faced multiple cases for allegedly killing two endangered black bucks during a location shoot in 1998 for the film ‘Hum Saath Saath Hain’ co-starring Saif Ali Khan, Sonali Bendre, Neelam and Tabu.
Khan had earlier been cleared by the Rajasthan High Court in two cases related to the killing of the black buck.
That decision, which overturned two jail terms handed to the actor by a lower court, has been challenged by Rajasthan before the Supreme Court.
Another case involving the alleged poaching of black buck is still being heard.
Khan has been asked to appear before the court on January 25 — along with actors Saif Ali Khan, Sonali Bendre, Neelam and Tabu — to record statements in the separate case filed against him under the Wildlife Protection Act.
