Bollywood star given five years’ jail for shooting antelope
AN INDIAN court yesterday jailed Salman Khan, a Bollywood star, for five years for poaching, lawyers said, a sentence likely to derail the career of one of the country’s most popular actors.
Khan, 52, was found guilty of violating wildlife laws by killing a blackbuck, an endangered species of antelope, in 1998.
Stocky Khan wore a black shirt and sunglasses as he entered the court followed by an entourage of aides.
Television footage later showed police escorting him to jail in Jodhpur, in the western state of Rajasthan.
Khan planned to appeal against the sentence, said Anand Desai, his lawyer, who submitted a plea for bail to be heard today.
The case was brought by members of a community known as the Bishnoi, who revere antelopes. The community has pursued the case against Khan for almost two decades and cheered the decision by setting off fireworks near the courthouse and handing out sweets.
Four other Bollywood actors accused in the case – Saif Ali Khan, Neelam, Tabu and Sonali Bendre – were acquitted, said Mahipal Bishnoi, a prosecution lawyer. “I feel this is too harsh,” said Arjun Rampal, a fellow actor. “If he doesn’t get bail, then the jail term will have repercussions,” said Girish Johar, a trade analyst.
“He is a big star and has a lot of big films lined up, all scheduled to be released over the next two years.”
Khan has made a series of blockbuster hits in the last few years with Tiger Zinda Hai, the latest in December, grossing £37million.