FILE photo: Actor Salman Khan
A court in Rajasthan today deferred its verdict on whether actor Salman Khan is guilty in an arms case linked to the poaching of endangered blackbucks and chinkara deer, 16 years ago. The verdict has been delayed after the prosecution, in a dramatic twist, brought up a nine-year-old appeal.
The prosecution lawyer, representing the state, told the court that four applications were moved in 2006 to introduce witnesses but the court never decided on them. The court will decide on March 3 whether to admit the plea.
"In 16 and a half years, they have produced 16 witnesses. Now if this application is accepted, this case will continue for another 24 years," said Salman's lawyer Hastimal Sarswat.
The 49-year-old actor was not in court today; he had sought exemption.
Salman Khan was charged with poaching three chinkaras and a blackbuck near Jodhpur in September and early October 1998, while shooting for the film
Hum Saath Saath Hain.
The forest department also registered a case with the local police under the Arms Act, alleging that the licenses of the weapons the actor used had expired when he went hunting and so he used them illegally.
Salman Khan's lawyers have argued that he had applied for a renewal of licence for the weapons almost as soon as it expired and so was not using them illegally.
If found guilty, Salman could be sentenced to between three to seven years in jail, but could be out on bail almost immediately.
Salman also has three poaching cases against him; he has already twice spent time in the Jodhpur jail - in April 2006 and again in August 2007 - in two of those cases and his appeal is pending in the Rajasthan High Court.
One of the busiest and most profitable stars in Bollywood, Salman is a huge draw at the box office and has at least half a dozen projects lined up till 2017.