Salman Khan will have to spend one more night at the Jodhpur Central Jail as the District and Sessions Court Judge Ravindra Kumar Joshi on Friday (April 6) adjourned his bail hearing in the 1998 blackbuck poaching case to Saturday (April 7). He was lodged in barrack number 1 Thursday (April 5).
The verdict has shocked millions of Salman's fans and friends in Bollywood. They spoke in support of him.
Among the many who have spoken in support of Salman Khan was Pakistan's foreign minister Khawaja Asif. He said the Bollywood star was sentenced to jail because he's a minority.
"Salman Khan has been sentenced because he's a minority. Maybe if he belonged to the religion of the ruling party of India he would not have been given such a harsh sentence and the court might have been lenient with him. To sentence him in a case that is twenty years old goes on to show that lives of those who are Muslims, 'untouchables' or Christians are not valued in India," Khawaja Asif was quoted as saying in an interview with Hamid Mir on Pakistan's Geo TV.
Actor Varun Dhawan, who reprised the role of Salman Khan in Judwaa 2, also came out in support of the Tiger Zinda Hai actor. He said, "I know for a fact that Salman bhai and his family have the utmost respect and faith in our judiciary system. @BeingSalmanKhan is one of the strongest and most genuine people I know and I'm sure he will come out of this stronger."
Simi Garewal, on the other hand, believes that it was not Salman who killed the two blackbucks on that fateful night. "Of one thing I am dead sure..@BeingSalmanKhan would NEVER EVER harm any animal. He loves them too much. The real culprit should be exposed. 20 years is too long to bear someone else's cross," she wrote on Twitter.
Former Bigg Boss 8 contestant Pritam Singh, who was unhappy with the court's verdict, said that Salman Khan is paying the price for being a popular celebrity.
Jaya Bachchan said the actor should be given relief as he has done a lot of humanitarian work.
Pakistani actress Mawra Hocane felt that a "a great human being" was being punished for killing an animal umpteen years ago under animal rights.
And there were others who supported Salman after he was sentenced to 5 years jail term.
