Rediff.com‘s Syed Firdaus Ashraf explains the charges against the Bollywood star.
Jodhpur’s Chief Judicial Magistrate Dalpat Singh Rajpurohit will pronounce his verdict against actor Salman Khan anytime now.
So what is Salman Khan being charged with?
Salman is charged under two sections of the Arms Act: Arms Act 3/25 and Arms Act 3/27.
Under the Arms Act 3/25 he is being charged for possessing a pistol and rifle without a valid license. If he is convicted under this Act, Salman could be sentenced to 3 years in prison.
If convicted under this Act Salman will be eligible to get bail in a higher court immediately.
Under the Arms Act 3/27 Salman is being charged with possessing a pistol and rifle without a valid license and also ‘misusing’ it.
If Salman is convicted under this Act then he could be imprisoned for 7 years.
Salman would have to go to jail immediately. He will not get a chance to appeal for bail immediately.
Salman’s lawyers had provided evidence that Salman had a valid gun license when the case was registered in October 1998.
Four cases were registered against Salman in the then infamous black buck case at different police stations in Jodhpur.
The prosecution alleged that Salman, while shooting for Hum Saath Saath Hain, had gone hunting with his co-stars Saif Ali Khan, Tabu, Neelam and Sonali Bendre and killed black bucks.
Three of the four cases registered against Salman were for killing black bucks. The fourth case was for possession of illegal arms and misusing it under the Arms Act.
Salman has already been acquitted in the other three cases by the higher courts.
The fourth case hangs liking a Damocles’ sword over him.
The prosecution is banking on the fact that Salman’s gun license expired on September 22, 1998, but his lawyers deny this allegation.
Poonam Chand, the main prosecution witness, was not summoned to depose in court.
Source: Rediff