BOLLYWOOD JOYOUS FOR SALMAN

The buck stops here: Salman Khan’s friends in the industry breathed a sigh of relief and congratulated him for his acquittal in the 1998 poaching cases

Actor Salman Khan trended on Twitter on Monday morning, with several fans and industry well-wishers posting congratulatory messages, as the Rajasthan High Court in Jodhpur acquitted Salman in the 1998 blackbuck and chinkara poaching cases.

Expressing relief and joy for Sallu, filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma wrote: “Only celebrity cases make us realise how dead slow judiciary works .it’s scary it took 20yrs for court to decide Salman khan is not guilty (sic).” Another tweet by filmmaker Ashoke Pandit read: “Congratulations for being acquitted in the black Buck poaching case (sic).”

Salman, along with seven of his co-actors from Hum Saath Saath Hain (1999), were accused of killing a blackbuck and a chinkara on two separate occasions. One was killed at Bhawad on September 26, 1998 and the other at Ghoda Farms on September 28, the same year.

Filmmaker Subhash Ghai, who has directed Salman in Yuvvraaj (2008), said Salman is “heading for a better time”, becoming a “better human being” by supporting social causes. “Acquittal of Salman khan is a story of bad times, good times and stars of a star. I fully believe in our Indian judiciary which keeps many doors open to knock for fair justice eventually,” he said. Filmmaker Rakesh Roshan, who worked with the actor in Karan Arjun (1995), also said: “This is good for him. Salman is a fine boy and a great actor. He is also a close friend.”

Actors close to Salman said it was a big day. Pulkit Samrat, who was mentored by Salman and was married to Salman’s rakhi sister Shweta Rohira, said: “Justice cannot be poached, I am super happy for him”. Actor Sonu Sood — who shared the screen with Salman in Dabangg (2010) — was making plans to congratulate him in person. “I am happy for Salman. He was under stress about this. He is great guy and we share a close association. This is a big relief,” he said.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Salman’s family thanked the almighty and well-wishers. “Thank You God for always showering us with your grace & blessings. Today is a big day for us @BeingSalmanKhan,” tweeted sister Arpita Khan Sharma.

Of course, there weren’t only happy posts. Twitterati had a field day poking fun. “Stupid #blackbuck had committed suicide (sic),” tweeted @MitrajitB while @NigelBritto wrote: “The judiciary should propound a doctrine of anticipatory acquittal especially for Salman. It could save his and everyone else’s time (sic).”

ACTOR PREITY ZINTA JOINED SALMAN AND FAMILY AS THEY CELEBRATED THE ACTOR’S ALLEGED GIRLFRIEND IULIA VANTUR’S 36TH BIRTHDAY ON SUNDAY NIGHT