Salman to stay behind the bars for five years

By: Raymond Ronamai
Friday, August 24, 2007

Bollywood 'bad boy' Salman Khan is in trouble again. The Jodhpur District and Sessions Court has sentenced the actor to five years rigorous imprisonment in connection to the Chinkara poaching case.

The court rejected the actor's appeal against the five-year jail term given by a lower court on April 10, 2006. the actor was supposed to appear before the court today but didn't, giving the excuse that he missed the flight, as he is currently shooting in Hyderabad. However, his sister Alvira Khan was present in the court.

The judge pronounced the verdict citing provisions of CrPC though the accused was not present. However, six other accused in the case, Bollywood actors Saif Ali Khan, Satish Shah, Sonali Bendre, Tabu and Neelam Kothari, have been acquitted. Now, Salman has to surrender before the court or be arrested.

Salman was convicted under the Wildlife Protection Act for hunting the Chinkara or black bucks on September 28, 1998 during the shooting of Sooraj Barjatya's film Hum Saath Saath Hain. He was in Jodhpur jail for a few days last year for this case. Once again, he has to stay behind the bars till his lawyers appeals in the higher court.