Salman Khan 'Given Benefit of Doubt' in Arms Act Case by Jodhpur Court Wednesday Jan 18,2017

Actor Salman Khan was on Wednesday Jan 18,2017 acquitted by a Jodhpur court in the Arms Act case in which he was accused of carrying fire arms with an expired licence during a hunting trip.

 Salman Khan was present in the court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate with his sister Alvira when the verdict was pronounced.

Prosecution lawyer Bhawani Singh told reporters after the verdict that Khan got the benefit of doubt because the prosecution had failed to establish charges.

This was one of the four cases against the actor. While the Rajasthan High Court has acquitted him in two cases of chinkara poaching, trial in the third case of alleged poaching of two black bucks is still on.

The case under sections 3/25 and 3/27 of the Arms Act was filed against Khan saying he used fire arms with expired licence in the poaching of black bucks at Kankani near Jodhpur on October 1-2, 1998.

 Salman Khan, during his last court appearance on March 10, 2016, had said that he was innocent and was framed in the case by the forest department

Note

Following is the chronology of events in the arms act case in which Salman Khan is accused.

Oct 15, 1998: Forest department registers case against Salman under arms act mentioning that he used arms with expired license for alleged poaching on the intervening night of October 1-2, 1998.

Dec 18, 2014: Court rejected Salman’s application seeking permission to summon the then DCP and DM of Mumbai as witnesses in the arms case.

Feb 25, 2015: Court deferred the judgment saying four pending applications from the prosecution have come to light.

March 3, 2015: Jodhpur court permitted new witnesses, documents and evidence as the prosecution representing the state had brought up a nine-year-old plea to produce new evidence and witnesses in the case.

April 23, 2015: Chief judicial magistrate accepted an application moved by Khan’s counsel seeking exemption from his appearance in the court on the ground of ill health.

April 29, 2015: Salman appeared in jodhpur court to record his statement in an arms act case.

July 25, 2016: Rajasthan HC acquitted Salman Khan in two cases of deer poaching saying the prosecution failed to prove the charges against the actor.

Oct 27, 2015: Rajasthan HC allowed Salman’s petition seeking documents pertaining to the prosecution sanction against him under the arms act.

Oct 2016: Special Leave Petition filed by Rajasthan government against Salman’s acquittal.

Nov 11, 2016: Salman gets SC notice on Rajasthan's appeal over the acquittal in Chinkara poaching case.

Dec 9, 2016: Final argument in the case begins.

Here’s a quick look at the cases filed against Salman Khan by the Jodhpur police in 1998 for poaching wildlife and the possession and use of arms whose licence had expired.