Bollywood superstar Salman Khan is facing renewed allegations from the Bishnoi community regarding his involvement in the 1998 blackbuck poaching case. Ramesh Bishnoi, a cousin of the jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, claims that Khan offered blank cheques to community leaders to settle the case following public outrage over the incident.
In a recent interview, Ramesh alleged that Khan approached the Bishnoi community with a blank chequebook, asking them to write down any amount they desired in order to resolve the matter. He stated, “If we were motivated by money, we would have accepted it,” challenging claims from Khan’s family that Lawrence Bishnoi is targeting him for financial gain.
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The controversy dates back to 1998, when Khan was accused of illegally hunting and killing two blackbucks in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, during the filming of “Hum Saath Saath Hain.” The blackbuck holds sacred significance for the Bishnoi community, leading to widespread outrage. Since then, Khan has faced numerous threats, including from Lawrence Bishnoi, who has expressed intentions to seek revenge against the actor, despite being only five years old at the time of the incident.
Earlier this year, Khan survived an attack when gunmen fired shots outside his residence in Bandra, Mumbai. The attack was claimed by a member of the Bishnoi gang, further escalating tensions.
In response to the ongoing conflict, the Bishnoi community has demanded that Khan apologize by visiting their primary temple in Rajasthan. However, Khan’s father, veteran writer Salim Khan, has dismissed the idea, stating that an apology would imply guilt for a crime his son did not commit.
