There was complete pandemonium outside the Jodhpur Court today (August 24), after the news spread that Salman Khan was going back to jail after the Jodhpur court rejected the appeal against his conviction in the Chinkara poaching case. But surprisingly, the Bollywood superstar has missed the hearing, despite orders from a miffed sessions court to surrender immediately.
In jail, it will be the simple life for the superstar where he will be known as Prisoner Number 343 with marked out meal times mostly made up of daal and roti and in a white prison uniform.
"Shocking" verdict
The court had ordered the actor to surrender within seven days, after it rejected the petition by Salman Khans lawyers seeking temporary relief. The petition had stated that Salmans film shooting was underway and that he would surrender as soon as it was over. The petition also had also requested that no arrest warrant be issued.
"The Court had not directed Salman to present today so the court has pronounced his verdict in his absence," Salman's lawyer told media. Interestingly, Salman's counselors had expected the court to pronounce the verdict in the second half of the day, but the verdict being pronounced within 10 minutes proved to be the single-biggest reason Salman did not show up in Jodhpur at all today.
Salman's lawyers S Bajwa told TIMES NOW that the judgement took him by surprise. Salman's other lawyer, Deepesh Mehta, said that the court had not required Salman to be in court, and that Salman would appeal against the verdict in the higher court. The lawyer on behalf of the Bishnoi community - Mahipal Bishnoi - on the other hand said that Salman Khan's absence was no reason why the judgement could not be given, and now he should surrender.
Media circus
As you would expect, there was a media circus at Salman's Bandra residence as news of Salman's impending prison term spread. The family locked the press out refusing to comment on where the superstar might be. At that point, there were a number of theories floating around as to the actor's whereabouts. Some said he was in Hyderabad apparently shooting for his film "Pokhiri" - a Boney Kapoor production - while others said he was in Jaipur ready to go to Jodhpur. Some others said he was in his home in Mumbai.
At around 4:00 pm, sources in the Mumbai police told TIMES NOW that Salman is not at home in Mumbai and that the Jodhpur court had issued arrest warrants against the actor.
At 4:30 pm, the tension was palapable outside Salman's house, as a stunned Bollywood fratenity consoled the family.
But then, at 5:00 pm the mystery, as it were, was suddenly cleared up - in part due to Aditya Panshcoli who was pinned down by reporters after he emerged from Salman's house.
"Salman is at home and he is perfectly OK. He has the fundamental right under the law to be at his home," Panscholi replied defensively when asked why Salman had not surrendered.
Will he surrender
The drama that unfolded outside Salman's Bandra residence seemed straight out of a commercial Bollywood potboiler. After intense speculation over the actor's whereabouts, his lawyer made a statement before the media and confirmed that Salman is not absconding and is in his house.
With the warrants against him out, Salman is now running out of options; he can surrender and chose to spend a few nights in jail, or he can appeal the Jodhpur court verdict in a higher court.
But the big question on every one's mind at this point is: Why has Salman Khan chosen to duck responsibility and stay away from the court on verdict day - and, why is he behaving like a fugitive on the run instead of submitting himself to the will of the law and facing the consequence of his actions?
Salman Khan is surrounded by police personnel on his way to the court in Jodhpur on Saturday, August 25, 2007.
Salman Khan walks out of his residence in Mumbai on August 25, 2007, en route to Jodhpur. Court has issued an arrest warrant for actor Khan after rejecting an appeal against his conviction last year for killing a Chinkara.
Salman Khan embraces his father Saleem Khan as he leaves his residence in Mumbai on August 25, 2007, en route to Jodhpur. Court has issued an arrest warrant for popular actor Khan after rejecting an appeal against his conviction last year for killing a Chinkara.
Courtesy: NDTV News
