Salman poaching case adjourned

Jodhpur: After four hours of hearing the final arguments of the prosecution and counsel for the actors Hastimal Sarswat, Chief judicial magistrate B K Jain adjourned the case to January 24 due to the absence of a lawyer representing two other accused - Yashpal and Kuldeep.

It asked all the eight accused, including Salman and Satish Shah to be present at the next hearing.

Counsel for Bollywood actors Salman Khan and Satish Shah today told a court here that evidence collected by forest officials in the Bhawad village Chinkara poaching case of 1998 are "contradictory and managed by them only to implicate Salman".

He argued that the investigation officer Ashok Patni obtained blood stains from the floor of Ashirwad Hotel near a wash basin "whereas the same officer wrote a letter to the forensic science laboratory that blood stains were found inside the wash basin".

He said "Patni's report is contadictory in itself" and it was the duty of the prosecution to prove the case beyond reasonable doubt, but the prosecution had failed to do so.

Sarswat also contended that no independent witness had supported the prosecution case, and requested the court to acquit the actors and initiate "serious action" against the errant officials.

The case pertaining to Chinkara poaching at Ghora farms allegedly involving Salman and others was adjourned to February 3.

Outside the court, fans had collected in large numbers and were raising pro-Salman slogans and the police had to use "mild lathi-charge" to ensure they do not enter the court.

Police said no one was injured in the action.

The alleged poaching of Chinkara deer and wild rabbits took place in Bhawad village and Ghoda farms on October 11, when the actors had come to Jodhpur for the filming of Suraj Barjatya's 'Hum Saath Saath Hain'.