Jodhpur court to pronounce order on Salman’s ‘false affidavit’ on June 17

Our Correspondent
Jaipur, June 11

Hearing the arguments on an alleged case of ‘false affidavit’ on arm licence filed by Bollywood star Salman Khan in the blackbuck poaching case of 1998, a local court in Jodhpur on Tuesday listed the pronouncement of its order on June 17. 

After hearing the arguments by the counsel of Salman Khan, the Chief Judicial Magistrate (Rural) will pass the order whether to register the case against Khan or not for filing a false affidavit misleading the court about his arm’s licence, according to APP B L Vishnoi. 

In his argument, Defence Counsel Hastimal Sarswat argued that it was neither a false information nor a false affidavit filed intentionally by his client Salman that his license was missing after the court demanded him to deposit the same during the trial.

“Hence it is not expedient in the interest of justice to proceed against Salman as it is a bonafide mistake of his client. Licence was submitted to the Police Commissioner in Mumbai, and Deputy Commissioner of Police has made the statement in the court also,” Saraswat told The Tribune quoting his arguments made in the court.

The Defense Counsel requested the court that application filed by the prosecution may kindly be dismissed. 

Assistant Public Prosecutor B L Vishnoi maintained in the court that a case under Section 340 of CrPC and Section 195 of IPC be initiated against Khan for misleading and filing a false affidavit in the court. 

In December 2017, a plea was made in the local court here asking it to hear an application that alleged that Salman had provided misleading information about his arms licence. “Salman submitted an affidavit in the trial court during the hearing of the case against him under the Arms Act that his arm licence was missing. But during the same period, it was produced in the commissioner’s office in Mumbai for renewal,” the prosecution had told the court. 

On January 18, 2017, the CJM had acquitted Salman in the arms case under Sections 3/25 and 3/27 of the Arms Act saying he (Salman) used firearms with expired licence in poaching blackbuck at Kankani near Jodhpur on October 1-2, 1998. Whereas the petition challenging Salman’s affidavit on missing arm licence filed by the prosecution in 2006 was not decided with the arm act verdict. 

A case was registered against Khan under Arms act in October 1998 for allegedly possessing arms without a valid licence during the alleged poaching of blackbucks at Kankai village near Jodhpur. The case was filed by the forest department.