GIVING the benefit of doubt Bollywood actor Salman Khan acquitted by Jodhpur court in Rajasthan which held him not guilty of keeping an unlicensed weapon and using it during an alleged deer hunt in 1998. He had been charged under the Arms Act as part of several cases linked to the poaching of blackbuck.
On October 1-2, 1998 besides the cases of poaching of endangered antelopes under Wildlife (Protection) Act, a case under sections 3/25 and 3/27 of the Arms Act was filed against Salman Khan for allegedly keeping and using the fire arms with expired licence in the alleged poaching of blackbucks in Kankani near Jodhpur.
51-year-old Salman Khan appeared in Jodhpur court on December 18, 2017. Chief Judicial Magistrate Dalpat Singh Rajpuroti acquitted Salman Khan commenting the evidence against him was not strong enough.
Controversial actor Salman Khan has faced multiple cases for allegedly killing two endangered chinkaras and two blackbucks on hunts during a location shoot in 1998 for the film “Hum Saath Saath Hain”, co-starring Saif Ali Khan, Sonali Bendre, Neelam and Tabu. He had been charged under the Arms Act. In 2007, he spent a week in jail in Jodhpur before being granted bail.