With Lok Sabha elections round the corner, all eyes have been glued to what permutations and combinations are in place that can influence the result of the parliamentary elections.
However, a recent development concerning actor Salman Khan is providing some fresh meals for news mongers. In the early hours of Sunday, gunshots were heard from the area near the actor’s house in Mumbai’s Bandra.
Gangster Lawrence Bishnoi's brother Anmol Bishnoi took to a social media platform and claimed responsibility for the incident.
Bishnoi is known for crimes like extortion and murder. He hogged limelight when his friend Goldy Brar took the responsibility of killing famous Punjabi singer Sidhu Moosewala. Purportedly, both of them had planned before executing the singer’s death.
Coming to Salman, it has been learnt that this is not the first time that the actor has received threats from Bishnoi’s gang. Threat emails to letters and social media posts were shooted out to the actor at frequent intervals.
Investigation, followed by the incident, has started in full-swing.
Also read: Gangster Lawrence Bishnoi’s brother claims responsibility of firing outside Salman Khan's house
Why is the gangster targeting Salman Khan?
The story begins from 1998 when Khan was accused of killing blackbucks. Salman, along with actors Saif Ali Khan, Sonali Bendre, Tabu and Neelam, hunted down Chinkaras while they were in Mathania near Jodhpur, shooting for Sooraj Barjatya’s film, Hum Saath Saath Hain.
Blackbucks are considered sacred by the Bishnoi community.
Thus, after Salman hunted another Chinkara, a complaint was lodged by the people of the community.
The Bishnoi gang has been upset with the hunting of the community’s sacred animals. In 2018, Lawrence Bishnoi said that he would kill Salman Khan. He issued a warning too that no one can save Salman.
In 2023, Khan’s manager received an email where Bishnoi threatened the actor by stating that his goal is to kill Salman. Reportedly, he does not want money, and is seeking an apology from Salman for hurting the sentiments of the people of his community.
In the message, Bishnoi, reportedly, said: “We do not want money from Salman Khan. We just want him to pay a visit to our community’s temple and tender an apology to us.”
The gangster is of the view that Salman humiliated the entire community by poaching a blackbuck.
Actor Salman Khan’s trial in blackbuck hunting case
In 1998, Salman was arrested on the pretext of hunting endangered animals, but was granted bail later.
In 2006, Salman was convicted by a trial court under the Wildlife Protection Act and was slapped with a fine of Rs 25,000 with five years of imprisonment. He was also asked to seek legal permission before leaving the country.
A year later, the Rajasthan High Court suspended his imprisonment. However, before the suspension, the actor had to spend a week in Jodhpur Central jail.
In 2012, the high court revised charges against Salman Khan. The actor was charged with Section 9/51 of the Wildlife Protection Act.
The matter went to the Supreme Court in 2014 when the Rajasthan government challenged the high court’s order of suspending Salman’s conviction. Salman was released by the Rajasthan High Court on the pretext that there was no proof that the animals that were found dead were killed by the actor’s licensed gun or Salman.
The apex court agreed to fast-track a plea by the Rajasthan government.
All other actors including Saif Ali Khan, Neelam, Sonali Bendre were proved innocent by the Jodhpur court in 2018. However, Salman got a five-year-jail term with a penalty of Rs 10,000. In that year, Salman was granted bail.
And in 2022, Salman’s plea of transferring the case to Rajasthan High Court was granted. And until now a verdict on the same is due. And the actor has expressed faith in the judiciary. Salman claimed that he will accept whatever will be the decision of the judges.
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