Ex-ACP admits giving arms permit to Salman

JODHPUR: A former senior police officer of Mumbai on Saturday admitted before a local court, trying Salman Khan in an Arms Act case, to having issued the Bollywood actor a weapon carrying permit in 1998 despite his licence having expired.

Retired Assistant Commissioner of Police Vijay Narain Pundit told the court of District Magistrate D S Rajpurohit that he committed a mistake by issuing the permit to Salman for carrying arms to Jodhpur during the shooting of 'Hum Saath Saath Hain', after the licence expiration date of September 22, 1998.

He informed the court that he was unaware of the expiry date of the license given to the actor. Normally, these licences are renewed on the day of its expiry or before, he said.

Pundit was the 15th prosecution witness in the case to appear before the court. A case was registered against Salman under the Indian Arms Act on October 11, 1998, in Mathania police station for carrying of a firearm in the state.

Delhi Police Superintendent of Police Ashok Patni, who as Jodhpur Additional SP investigated the case against Salman, also appeared before the court, but his statements could not be recorded completely.

The court deferred the hearing till Monday. The actor was convicted by a court in February and April this year in two cases of chinkara and blackbuck poaching in the district in September-October 1998 during the shooting of 'Hum Saath Saath Hain'.

Two more cases pertaining to hunting of endangered deer in Kankani village are pending against him.