The Rajasthan high court had acquitted Salman Khan in the animal poaching cases in July 2016, but troubles for the superstar seem to be never ending as the Jodhpur district court is set to pronounce its decision in the Arms Act case against the actor on 18 January 2016.
While Khan was acquitted by the Rajasthan high court in the poaching cases, the state government had appealed against the high court verdict. A damning verdict in the Arms Act case could pave the way for a defining verdict in the black buck poaching case too.
News agency Asian News International tweeted this development:
Khan has been directed to be present when the final verdict is pronounced.
The Jodhpur district court will pronounce its verdict on two counts – first Section 3/25 of Arms Act, where if convicted, the actor faces upto five years in prison for illegal possession of arms. Khan has also been charged under Section 3/27 of Arms Act wherein the court will rule whether the actor used these arms to kill a black buck. If convicted under Section 3/27, Khan faces up to seven years in jail.
A conviction under Section 3/27 of the Arms Act could spell trouble for the actor as it could also weaken his prospects in the black buck poaching case.
In 1998, while filming Sooraj Barjatya’s Hum Saath Saath Hain, Khan had been accused of poaching chinkaras and a black buck. Two different cases were filed against the actor. The Arms Act cases was filed against Khan after two firearms — a 1.22 rifle and a 1.32 bore revolver — were recovered from his hotel room.