After two whole decades of waiting and watching and setting store by faith in the Indian judiciary, the verdict in the 1998 Blackbuck killing case, involving Salman Khan as the prime accused, has finally been pronounced.
Salman Khan was facing charges under section 51 of the Wildlife Protection Act. As for the other co-accused, the same section applied along with IPC section 149, for unlawful assembly.
This morning, a Jodhpur Court pronounced prime accused Salman Khan guilty, while acquitting his co-accused Hum Sath Sath Hain co-stars, Saif Ali Khan, Tabu, Sonali Bendre and Neelam.
#BlackbuckPoaching: #SalmanKhan convicted, others acquitted#SalmanVerdict #SalmanKhan
Read @ANI Story | https://t.co/90ZgupBLqy pic.twitter.com/YsnKaOHW6v
— ANI Digital (@ani_digital) April 5, 2018
In the verdict, Chief Judicial Magistrate Dev Kumar Khatri called Salman a ‘habitual offender’, which is the reason for his conviction. On the other hand, the co-accused have been given the benefit of doubt.
According to Section 51 of the Wildlife Protection Act, under which he has been convicted, he can face a jail term of up to 6 years. But if the pronounced sentence is below 3 years, he could even be awarded a suspended sentence. His lawyers are trying to obtain probation for the actor instead.
Meanwhile, the Bishnoi community has already decided to challenge the acquittal of the others.
We'll analyse the judgement. We want an immediate appeal to be filed against those who have been acquitted and we also demand maximum punishment for Salman Khan: Rampal Bhawad, State President, Bishnoi Tigers Vanya Evam Paryavaran Sanstha #BlackBuckPoachingCase #Rajasthan pic.twitter.com/Jfn8Pf5Jdp
— ANI (@ANI) April 5, 2018
While the Indian judiciary is doing its job, Twitter too could not resist from doing its thing—adding a dash of black humour to a breaking news.
The verdict may have taken two full decades but Twitter took less than two full minutes to jump to jokes and memes about the situation!
1. Court: But Tiger innocent NAHI hai….
https://twitter.com/hankypanty/status/981775694106685440
2. Kaafi Confusion!
Judge : You are found guilty.
Salman : Sir sachi, uss dinn gaadi driver chala raha tha.
Judge : abe dusra case chal raha hai.#BlackBuckPoachingCase— 🤔 (@Dil_wala_) April 5, 2018
3. DED!
Judge to #SalmanKhan#SalmanVerdict#SalmanKhanConvicted#BlackBuckPoachingCase pic.twitter.com/2xE4Y5zk9V
— brijesh yadav (@Brijesh007Yadav) April 5, 2018
4. Ummmm…
Judge – Did you shoot that black buck?
Bhai – #BlackBuckPoachingCase #SalmanVerdict pic.twitter.com/Qb5xBmecrm
— Harshvardhan Agrawal (@Harsh_humour) April 5, 2018
5. Congrats, blackbuck fam!
Salman Khan found guilty in the #BlackBuckPoachingCase.
Finally, some justice for that blackbuck's great-great-grandchildren.— Ramesh Srivats (@rameshsrivats) April 5, 2018
6. Salman Bachaao Andolan….
Salman khan will get 3 yrs and the sentence will be immediately suspended till appeal to a higher court, and then Harish Salve will swoop in.
— Gabbbar (@GabbbarSingh) April 5, 2018
7. Dead Buck Walking?
When you are dead for 20 years but someone tells you that Salman khan convicted in #BlackBuckPoachingCase pic.twitter.com/exG49afYJ7
— Jon Barfeela (@jonbarfeela) April 5, 2018
8. Read in Kajol’s voice!
Meanwhile in Black Buck's family, the celebrations has been started after Salman Khan convicted in #BlackBuckPoachingCase pic.twitter.com/3pyA2MjeQX
— Godman Chikna (@Madan_Chikna) April 5, 2018
9. Right!
Hit and run victims after seeing bhai getting convicted for killing a blackbuck. #BlackBuckPoachingCase pic.twitter.com/38VrMgo3NA
— Smoking Skills (@SmokingSkills_) April 5, 2018
10. NSFW!
Court to salman khan😂😂 #BlackBuckPoachingCase pic.twitter.com/6lRuqzf0C3
— Mask 🎭 (@Mr_LoLwa) April 5, 2018
11. LOL!
https://twitter.com/IamTeamIK/status/981780364476780608
12. EPIC!
So #SalmanKhan is convicted in the #BlackBuckPoachingCase. 😂😂 pic.twitter.com/yHjmHlODec
— Tweetera🐦 (@DoctorrSays) April 5, 2018
13. Vivek Oberoi be like, “Aaj ki party meri taraf se!”
Vivek Oberoi has sent tiffin for Jodhpur court judge. #BlackBuckPoachingCase pic.twitter.com/1InsCdz4wP
— Karan Talwar (@BollywoodGandu) April 5, 2018
14. Hum sath sath nahin hai?
#blackbuckpoachingcase pic.twitter.com/DIKKCmIGln
— Angoor Stark 🍇 🇮🇳 (@ladywithflaws) April 5, 2018
15. Indian Judiciary: Infinity War!
https://twitter.com/ArainJutley/status/981792923791515650
Several news portals did claim that the Court had awarded Salman 2 years’ imprisonment with a one month suspended sentence so he could appeal to the Sessions Court. However, as per the last updated, the sentence has not been pronounced yet.
The sentence has not been pronounced as of now: Bhawani Singh, Public Prosecutor on Salman Khan #BlackBuckPoachingCase pic.twitter.com/QDdhuhmrk9
— ANI (@ANI) April 5, 2018
Salman Khan, Bhai fans, and pretty much the entire nation now awaits the sentencing.