New Delhi: The Rajasthan High Court on Monday acquitted Bollywood actor Salman Khan in the 18-year-old blackbuck and chinkara poaching cases. There were six reasons the high court acquitted him.
1) Driver Harish Dulani’s statements were recorded under Section 164. But Salman Khan’s lawyers were not given an opportunity to cross-examine him. Court considered it against evidence act.
2) The blood samples found on Gypsy on October 7 1998, do not match with samples found on September 27 1998.
3) On October 7 1998, it was said that only blood spots were found in the Gypsy. On October 12, it was said that pellets and dead animal’s hair were found in the Gypsy. The court questioned why these things were not found on October 7. The Gypsy was not sealed. May be, somebody planted these evidences in the car.
4) The court observed that with the .22 air gun recovered from Salman Khan’s room, a bird could be killed not a black buck.
5) The prosecution couldn’t establish that the weapon was used to kill the animals.
6) It was said that the black buck’s throat was slit using a JB knife. Court observed that JB knife can’t sever a deer’s throat.