Actors Sonali Bendre and Tabu at the Jodhpur court on Monday. (PTI)
Jodhpur:
Film actors Sonali Bendre and Tabu were today produced before a court in Jodhpur for their identification in the blackbuck poaching case of 1998.
Eyewitness Poonam Chand, whose cross examination by the defence was underway, refused to identify Ms Bendre. "She looked like Tabu," he said about the other actor.
Besides Sonali Bendre and Tabu, actors Salman Khan, Saif Ali Khan and Neelam are also accused in the case along with two others.
Public prosecutor Upendra Shamra objected to these actors being produced in the court unexpectedly, and said, "Both the actresses were produced in the court in a manner that they look identical and that too without bringing this to any notice of the court and the prosecution."
"I pray to produce them in the court in proper manner so that we can examine the witness in their presence," Mr Sharma said.
Chief Judicial Magistrate (Jodhpur) Chandra Kala Jain then postponed the hearing till Tuesday.
Besides, the court accepted an application by K K Vyas, the counsel of Saif, Sonali and Neelam seeking permission for cross examination of the witness, for which it ordered to deposit a cost of Rs 5,000 in the forest department.
Although the court accepted the request, it warned that if they fail to deposit the cost, their cross examination will not be taken on record, said Mahipal Bishnoi, the counsel for complainant and eyewitness Poonam Chand.
Eyewitness Poonam Chand, whose cross examination by the defence was underway, refused to identify Ms Bendre. "She looked like Tabu," he said about the other actor.
Besides Sonali Bendre and Tabu, actors Salman Khan, Saif Ali Khan and Neelam are also accused in the case along with two others.
Public prosecutor Upendra Shamra objected to these actors being produced in the court unexpectedly, and said, "Both the actresses were produced in the court in a manner that they look identical and that too without bringing this to any notice of the court and the prosecution."
"I pray to produce them in the court in proper manner so that we can examine the witness in their presence," Mr Sharma said.
Chief Judicial Magistrate (Jodhpur) Chandra Kala Jain then postponed the hearing till Tuesday.
Besides, the court accepted an application by K K Vyas, the counsel of Saif, Sonali and Neelam seeking permission for cross examination of the witness, for which it ordered to deposit a cost of Rs 5,000 in the forest department.
Although the court accepted the request, it warned that if they fail to deposit the cost, their cross examination will not be taken on record, said Mahipal Bishnoi, the counsel for complainant and eyewitness Poonam Chand.
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