Jodhpur (Rajasthan): The district sessions court today upheld the five year-jail term awarded to the popular Bollywood actor, Salman Khan, who had been convicted for poaching a Chinkara, an endangered species of antelope.
Soon after this judgement, his lawyers moved two successive applications; first requesting the court for 10-days time to surrender and following its rejection, to issue a bailable warrant instead of a non-bailable, so that he could stay out of jail, pending further appeal.
The Jodhpur District Judge rejected the second application too and a non-bailable warrant is expected to be issued by the evening. The film star, who did not come to court is said to be in hiding in Jodhpur, before his lawyers advise him of the next course of action.
Last year, the Chief Judicial Magistrate of Jodhpur had sentenced him to five-year imprisonment for poaching a Chinkara in 1998 – protected by Schedule I of the Wildlife (Protection) Act – near the Ujalia Bhakhri village here.
After the judgement, he was taken into custody and remained in jail for two days, before he was released on bail.
The Jodhpur police had booked him under various sections of the Wildlife Act after the crime. He later appealed to the sessions court, which after hearing the case on August 7, who reserved judgement till August 24.
The defence lawyers had argued that police is not empowered to carry out investigation in the case, since it is a wildlife case.
The prosecutors pointed out past rulings of the High courts and the Supreme Court where it ruled that police have the power to investigate, citing example of a case titled Motilal vs. Central Bureau of Investigation.
Dr. Mahendra Singh Kachawa, Advocate of Wildlife Trust of India assisted the prosecution by providing the court with the past rulings of the higher courts in wildlife cases.
“There is still recourse for appeal in High Court and finally the Supreme Court, but usually chances of acquittal are poorer in the higher courts.” Ashok Kumar, Vice Chairman of WTI who attended the court proceedings, said.
