Verdict in Salman Khan's arms case deferred till Mar 3

A local court in Jodhpur has deferred the final judgment in 16-year- old Arms Act case against Bollywood star Salman Khan till March 3.

Court will conduct hearing on the four pending applications before pronouncing the final judgment. Salman has been directed to remain present in the court during final hearing.

The final arguments in the case, related to the 1998 black buck poaching incident,  was completed on February 10 and the Chief Judicial Magistrate reserved the final order for February 25.

During the hearing on Wednesday, Salman’s lawyer filed a request before the court that a few applications of 2006 are lying pending in the case, which should be heard before the judgment. Accepting the request, the court decided to hear these applications on March 3, which will pave the way for final judgment.

Despite court’s orders, actor Salman Khan didn’t turn up in the court on Wednesday. His lawyer Hastimal Saraswat filed an application that Salman is unwell and he could not even stand up in the court. Later Salman was granted exemption from theappearance but court directed him to remain present for next hearing on March 3.

According to the legal experts, Salman is facing charges under section 3/25 and 27 of Arms Act, which has the provision of 1-7 years of imprisonment. In 1998 during the shooting of the movie “Hum Saath Saath Hain”, a case was registered against Salman in Arms Act in Luni police station of Jodhpur district.

A revolver (S&W 32 bore) and a rife (22 bore) were used by Salman to poach two black bugs in Kankani area of Jodhpur. Licence of both the weapons had already expired at the time of poaching following which forest department lodged a separate case against Salman under the Arms Act saying that actor used the arms illegally.

Salman is currently out on bail in the case and had been in Jodhpur jail in 1998 and again in 2007.