Jodhpur court dismisses Rajasthan government's plea against Salman Khan
In a relief to actor Salman Khan, the Jodhpur District and Sessions Court has dismissed the plea of the Rajasthan government alleging that Khan had presented a false affidavit in connection with the Arms Act. Khan, in a hearing on Tuesday, had apologized for "mistakenly" submitting a false affidavit in the Jodhpur Sessions Court in 2003, related to the blackbuck poaching case. Here's more.
Khan had falsely claimed that he lost his arms licence
In 1998, when Khan was accused of shooting two blackbucks in Jodhpur, a case under Arms Act was registered against him and the court had asked him to submit his arms licence. Khan submitted an affidavit in the court in 2003, saying he had lost the licence. It was later learned that Khan's arms licence was not lost, but had been sent for renewal.
Pleas filed only to disturb Khan, says lawyer
During the hearing, Khan's lawyer said that he was not trying to deceive the court but had simply forgotten about it. Khan's lawyer, Hastimal Saraswat said in a statement, "The Jodhpur District and Sessions Court dismissed both the pleas of the State Government, in a detailed order. We had replied in 2006 itself...Such pleas are being furnished only to disturb Salman Khan."
Khan appeared for hearing through video conferencing
On Tuesday, Khan appeared for hearing in the case through video conferencing. He apologized for "mistakenly" submitting the affidavit saying his license had been lost. Earlier, Khan's counsel had argued that traveling from Mumbai to Jodhpur amid the coronavirus pandemic might put his health at risk, after which it was decided that he would attend the hearing through video conferencing.
What is the infamous blackbuck poaching case?
Khan, along with actors Saif Ali Khan, Tabu, and Sonali Bendre, had allegedly hunted down two blackbucks in the Kankani village of Rajasthan, during the shooting of Hum Saath Saath Hain in 1998. In 2018, Khan was convicted and awarded five-year imprisonment, after which he challenged that order in the sessions court. His co-stars, Saif, Tabu and Bendre, have since been acquitted.
