Salman Khan outside Jodhpur Jail
After the court decided to reserve its order on Bollywood actor Salman Khan's bail plea, fans and members of film fraternity were hugely disappointed. The superstar who has spent two nights in prison is now hoping some relief on Saturday. However, the latest development suggests that he might have to stay a day more inside the jail as District and Sessions Court Judge Ravindra Kumar Joshi has been transferred. This can result in a delay in hearing.
The court, earlier reserved the bail hearing in a 1998 blackbuck poaching case in which the Bollywood superstar was convicted on Thursday and was sentenced to five years imprisonment. The defence and prosecution will present their arguments at 10.30 a.m. on Saturday.
According to informed sources, the judge asked for more documents, such as files of previous cases heard by Rural and High Courts before he takes a decision on the actor's bail plea. Salman's case was presented in the sessions court on Friday by senior advocate Mahesh Bora, who came with a 51-page bail application.
He said the witnesses' statement should not be trusted in the case as they raise a benefit of doubt and questioned why only Salman had been convicted out of all co-accused. Salman and other Bollywood stars Saif Ali Khan, Tabu, Sonali Bendre and Neelam allegedly went hunting on October 1-2 in 1998 outside a forest reserve near Kankani village in Jodhpur while shooting for Hum Saath Saath Hain in 1998.
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While Salman was found guilty, the four co-stars and a local, Dushyant Singh, were acquitted. Chief Judicial Magistrate Dev Kumar Khatri convicted Salman under Section 9/51 of the Wildlife Protection Act. Salman is lodged in the Jodhpur Central Jail as Qaidi No. 106.
(With IANS inputs)
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