Chinkara Poaching Cases: Why Rajasthan HC Acquitted Salman Khan

Jodhpur: The Rajasthan High Court, on Monday, acquitted Salman Khan in two cases related to alleged poaching of Chinkaras.

In 2006, a trial court had convicted Salman Khan and gave him jail sentences of one and five years respectively for allegedly poaching three chinkaras on two separate occasions.

However, the Rajasthan High Court exonerated Salman Khan on the following grounds:

1) The High Court found that the evidence on record is inadequate

2) The FIR was registered on the basis of the statement of Harish Dulani, driver of Salman Khan's gypsy. However the witness was not examined or cross-examined during the trial

3) The HC said it is doubtful whether Harish Dulani was a witness to the incidents.

4) The place where the incidents allegedly occurred was never identified.

5) No carcass of Chinkara was found, so the prosecution could not establish it was killed on September 26.

6) Pellets were not found on October 7 from the Gypsy used for hunting. But their sudden discovery on October 12 gave rise to suspicion.

7) The court said it is impossible to kill a deer with an air gun.

8) The recovered pellets are used for hunting small animals like rabbit or birds and not big animals.