Salman granted bail in one case,
re-arrested in another
Bollywood star Salman Khan was today released on bail in a case of poaching in the Guda Bishnoiyan region of Jodhpur district, only to be re-arrested in connection with the killing of two chinkaras (Indian gazelles) in Mathania region of the same district.
Khan was released on bail by Civil Judge, Jodhpur (first), L N Kiradoo on production of surety and a bond of Rs 50,000 in connection with the killing of two black bucks and a chinkara on October 2.
Khan, who had been remanded to the forest department's custody until tomorrow, was produced before Judge Kiradoo a day earlier in view of the completion of departmental interrogations and recovery of the weapons allegedly used in the hunt.
But he was immediately re-arrested by the police in connection with two other cases relating to hunts on September 26 and 28.
Earlier in the day, Additional District and Sessions Judge Amar Singh had rejected Khan's petition for anticipatory bail in the latter cases.
H L Meena, conservator of forests, Jodhpur, told Rediff On The NeT in a telephone interview that Harish, driver of the white Gypsy in which Khan and his friends travelled, and five people who had accompanied them had turned approvers.
According to their testimony, Khan is the prime accused since he killed all five animals with a .22 rifle and a revolver. The other accused, actors Saif Ali Khan, Tabu, Sonali Bendre, and Neelam, were onlookers, out to have some fun and adventure.
Some villagers who were woken up in the night by the sound of gunfire have also testified in the case, Meena said.
"They chased the culprits, but the Gypsy was too fast for them," he said. But the villagers were still confident that the actors were the culprits because they had been spotted earlier in the day surveying the place.
Meanwhile, a team of three police officers and two forest officers from Jodhpur visited Salman Khan's house in Bandra, north-west Bombay, and recovered the weapons that were allegedly used in the hunt. "We have sent the weapons to the forensic lab," said Meena.
Meena denied any political pressure in the case. "I did not receive a single call from politicians demanding Khan's release," he said.
He also rejected Khan's counsel Jagdeep Dhankar's charge of a hidden agenda because the cases were registered 10 days after the incidents. He said, "From October 1 to 7, we were observing Wildlife Week, so we did not get time to investigate the cases. Another two days went in holidays. Also these places are remote and it was difficult for us to bring the villagers to the police station without proper transport."
Meena explained that there are three cases against Khan. The first relates to the killing of two black bucks in the night of October 1at Kakani near Jodhpur. Khan was accompanied by co-stars Saif Ali Khan, Tabu, Sonali Bendre, and Neelam on this hunt.
The second case relates to the killing of a chinkara at Mathania on September 26 and the third to an incident at Bhavath on September 28 when another chinkara was killed. Both these places are near Jodhpur. Only Saif Ali Khan and some helpers accompanied Khan on these hunts.
It all began when the two Khans decided to go hunting on September 26. They were successful in killing one chinkara at midnight. Enthused, they went on a second hunt two days later.
Meena said neither Salman Khan nor any of the other actors had admitted to the crimes. But "all the villagers who saw this incident cannot lie," he argued.
Meena also denied reports that forest officers and their families are making a beeline for the makeshift prison where Khan is lodged, to see him and get his autograph.
Tell us what you think of this report
|
