Final hearing in case against Aamir Khan begins in HC

Khan recently met former Gujarat Chief Minister and now Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi to raise the issues covered in his TV show Styamev Jayate. The Prime Minister’s Office had described the meeting as a “courtesy call.”

The case against Khan and others were initially lodged in Bhuj court in Kutch district by the forest department officials. Besides Khan and Gowarikar, the other accused are Khan’s ex-wife Reena Dutta, cameraman Anil Mehta and a film executive official, Shrinivas Rao.

Government pleader Prakash Jani said the matter has been kept for further hearing on Monday after a preliminary discussion of the case.

The Bhuj-based forest officials had filed a court complaint againt Khan and the others after he didn’t appear for recording his statement.

After the court complaint in Bhuj, Khan moved the HC in 2008 and sought to quash the complaint on the ground that he and the other accused were not involved in this case.

He also said that there was no evidence against him and the others. He contended that the shooting of the movie ended in 2001, while complaint against him was lodged in 2006. He also contended that he used special effects for creating the scene and never went to the spot where the poaching of Chinkara has been alleged by foresters.

During the discussion in the court, Khan’s lawyer argued that the shooting didn’t take place at the alleged place where the remains of black buck was found and that they didn’t have permission to shoot in that location anyway.

However, the government pleader said that there was ample evidence to prove the petitioners’ “guilt”.