Salman 1 yr imprisonment in Black Buck

The Magistrate of a Jodhpur Sessions Court, which found Bollywood superstar Salman Khan guilty under Section 51 of the WildLife Protection Act of 1972 of having killed two blackbucks, a species of antelope in India, and a Chinkara in 1998 in the state of Rajasthan, has sentenced him to one year's imprisonment and a fine of Rs 5000.

Salman's lawyer told reporters that the star will appeal the judgment in the sessions court, and if the appeal is unsuccessful there, they will approach the High Court.

The lawyer said that it had been submitted to the Magistrate of the Sessions Court that there had been no eyewitnesses to the shooting, and that there was no hard evidence to prove Salman's guilt. But while all the 7 other accused in the case had been acquitted, Salman alone had been found guilty.

The shooting of the Black Buck is said to have happened in 1998 during the shoot of the film Hum Saath Saath Hain, for which Salman had gone to Rajashtan along with Saif Ali Khan, Tabu, Neelam, Sonali Bendre and Satish Shah, among others.

The local Bishnoi people of Rajasthan, who are fierce protectors of migratory birds and endangered wildlife, and who worship the Black Buck, are said to have been instrumental in getting Salman Khan charged for the 'poaching' after the shooting incident received prominence in the local media.

The case has been in hearing over the past 7 years, and the final arguments on behalf of the superstar were made on February 4 this year.

Salman had expressed his frustration at the unduly long trial. "Either acquit me, or hang me!" the superstar had requested the court.

The 40-year-old actor has had several brushes with the system in the past, and is also facing trial in a hit-and-run case in which one person was killed and three were injured when his car allegedly ran over sleeping pavement dewellers in Mumbai in 2002. He faces the charge of causing death by negligent driving, which alone carries a 24-month term in prison, along with nine others. Khan has pleaded not guilty to them all.

Most recently, his car hit a 12-year-old girl in Mumbai, but he stopped and ensured she received proper medical treatment and even visited her parents and explained to them how the accident had occurred. The parents of the girl, decided not to press any charges in light of Salman's caring followup actions for their daughter.

Ironically, while most people are only aware of the more notorious brushes with the law, few people know that Salman is indeed a caring individual who has been known to get extremely generous with the homeless and the destitute but doesn't like to talk about it. One can only wish Salman all the best.