Mumbai: Bollywood heartthrob and the industry’s mega, bankable star Salman Khan is no stranger to a cell. A jail cell, that is. He was convicted on April 5 and sentenced to five years in jail for killing two blackbucks – an endangered species – and will cool his heels in the Jodhpur Central Jail till he gets bail.
Here is a timeline of the actor’s brush with law:
1. Arms Act:
In the same blackbuck case, the Rajasthan Police had booked Salman under Sections 325 and 327 of The Arms Act for possessing a .22 rifle and a -32 revolver and using them to kill two blackbucks on October 1, 1998.
The actor, along with Saif Ali Khan, Tabu, Neelam and Sonali Bendre, had taken off in a Gypsy at night on a hunting trip while shooting the film Hum Saath Saath Hain. The others were accused in the poaching case.
Salman Khan was acquitted of the Arms Act charge in January, 2018.
Also read: Salman Khan gets 5-yr jail in blackbuck poaching case, other actors let off
2. Wildlife Act:
In 1998, he along with his co-actors of Hum Saath Saath Hain was accused of killing the endangered chinkaras and blackbucks in three separate locations. Two of the cases involved killing two chinkaras, and one – the verdict for which was delivered on Thursday – for two blackbucks.
In 2016, he was acquitted of killing the two chinkaras by the Rajasthan High Court.
In all three poaching cases, Salman Khan till today has gone to jail twice – in April 2006 and August 2007.
He is at present in the Jodhpur Central Jail for being found guilty in the blackbuck poaching case.
Also read: Rs 1,000 Cr rides on Salman Khan in Bollywood
3. Culpable homicide not amounting to murder:
On Sep 28, 2002, Salman’s white Toyota Land Cruiser had crashed into the American Express Bakery at Hill Road, Bandra killing one person and injuring four and the actor was arrested in hit-and-run case but later was released on bail.
In early October, Police invoke Sections 304-II of IPC i.e culpable homicide not amounting to murder. On Oct 7, Salman Khan surrendered and he was released on bail on Oct 24.
The Bombay High Court acquitted him of the hit-and-run in December, 2015. The matter is with the Supreme Court.
Also read: Why blackbucks are so important to Bishnois who sent Salman Khan to jail
Compare this with the incessant adulation Salman Khan receives from his fans and colleagues. His friends in the industry swear by Bhajaan’s golden heart, his readiness to pull anybody out of a sticky situation, his robust helping hand to mentor young ones, his help and charity for the poor and his ‘Being Human’.
Salman’s charity:
Salman Khan, known as the big-hearted 'bhai' of Bollywood, is heavily invested in charity work and runs the NGO 'Being Human'. The NGO has adopted several villages in Maharashtra and outside the state. The controversial actor helps underprivileged children across India to get better education. Salman also provides medical aid to industry workers, mostly to the less-fortunate ones. Salman aggressively promotes his NGO as he is frequently clicked sporting T-shirts and riding cycles of the brand.
Man with a heart of gold:
Khan adopted a family in a Kashmir village that was affected by the 2014 floods, till he was satisfied they had rebuilt their home. Khan also made sure the three sisters of Zaina Begum, a 75-year-old widow, lived a good life. He met the family while shooting Bajrangi Bhaijan in Kashmir. As per a report, while talking about Salman Khan, Zaina said, "He is a messiah for us". The family celebrates Bhaijaan's birthday each year with great enthusiasm.
Salman’s art:
Bollywood heartthrob Salman Khan is very fond of painting and has also gifted several of his artworks to his friends and colleagues in the industry. In 2007, Salman auctioned his paintings and donated the money to an organisation. Previously, the actor had donated some of his paintings to an NGO headed by Ramola Bachchan, and the money earned from selling them was given to the NGO.
