Jodhpur: Salman Khan, has been sentenced to five years in prison and fined Rs 10,000 for hunting two blackbucks in Jodhpur in 1998.
No novice to legal tangles, 'Sallu Bhai' walked out of the jail after spending barely two days in the Jodhpur Central prison.
Seven, including bollywood actors Salman Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Sonali Bendre, Neelma and Tabu, were accused in the case. The case named two more, Dushyant Singh and Dinesh Gawre, as accused, both working for Salman Khan.
The case also had 4 eyewitnesses: Chhogaram, Poonam Chand, Sheraram and Mangilal.
Below is the chronology of events:
October 1-2, 1998: Poaching of two blackbucks in Kankani.
October 2, 1998: Forest department registers complaint.
November 9, 2000: Cognisance and registration of case before chief judicial magistrate (CJM).
February 19, 2006: Following arguments, charges framed against all accused.
Repeated revision petitions, first by defence in sessions court and then by prosecution in High Court, hold up trial for 7 years.
March 23, 2013: Trial court frames revised charges against all accused.
May 23, 2013: Trial begins in CJM court. Twenty eight witnesses deposed before court during trial.
January 13, 2017: Deposition completes in trial court.
January 27, 2017: All accused appear in court to record statements.
September 13, 2017: Prosecution begins final arguments in trial court.
October 28, 2017: Defence begins final arguments.
March 24, 2018: Trial court completes final arguments.
March 28, 2018: Trial court reserves order.
April 5, 2018: Order pronounced- Salman gets five years in jail and Rs 10,000 fine.
April 7, 2018: Salman Khan granted bail in blackbuck poaching case.