Salman’s Blackbuck Case: 10 Things You Must Know

The Jodhpur court today sentenced Bollywood star Salman Khan to five years in jail and a fine of Rs 10,000 was imposed for killing two blackbucks in October 1998. Salman was found guilty of killing the blackbucks during the shooting of the film "Hum Saath Saath Hain".

10 Interesting Things About the Case

1. Today when the judgement was to be pronounced, Salman Khan came to the court with his sentimental black shirt. On hearing that Salman was sentenced for five years in jail, his sisters Alvira and Arpita broke down in the court itself.

2. Immediately after the court sentenced Salman Khan, he was shifted to the Jodhpur Central Jail. He had earlier, in 2006, spent five days in the same jail. The jail also hosts rape convict Asaram Bapu.

3. The court acquitted his colleagues Saif Ali Khan, Tabu, Neelam and Sonali Bendre giving benefit of doubt. It was said that these actors were also in the vehicle used by Salman during the hunt.

4. The prosecution mentioned that he killed the blackbucks near a village that has Bishnoi tribe, who are animal lovers.

5. In total 28 people from Bishnoi village had been witness against Salman in this case. They have said that on hearing the gun shots, they ran out of their houses to the place where the incident occurred.

6. They chased the vehicle in which Salman had come, but the actor escaped while the dead blackbucks were lying on the ground, the Bishnoi village people mentioned in the court.

7. The case has been in the court for almost two decades. Salman argued out in the court several times that at the time of the incident he was not carrying any pistol except for an airgun. He said that the airgun was also not the kind which would hurt or kill. On the other hand Salman's lawyer had told the court that the blackbucks could have died due to the attack by dogs or even due to over eating.

8. In 2009, Salman gave an interview to NDTV, where he told that he had rescued the blackbucks on the day of the incident and also fed them. Later he has been accusing that due to the interview things flared up.

9. Salman Khan is one of the biggest stars in the country and around Rs 700 crores business is at stake over his films. He has recently completed a high budget film Race 3 while few more are yet to be completed.

10. Salman was accused of driving over the people sleeping on the footpath in Mumbai and killing one person. The incident left many crippled. It was also said that during that time the actor was drunk. But Salman was acquitted from the case in 2015 for lack of evidence to prove that he was driving the car on that fateful night.