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Khan, 51, had been charged with possessing and using an
unlicensed weapon to kill an endangered gazelle in 1998 on a
hunting trip in the desert state of Rajasthan, where he was
filming the movie "Hum Saath Saath Hain" (We Stand United).
The actor, who built his career on portrayals of bad boys with a
heart of gold, was previously cleared of the poaching charge.
Khan, who was present in court in the city of Jodhpur for the
verdict, was given the "benefit of the doubt and acquitted of
all charges", his lawyer, Hastimal Saraswat, told reporters.
The actor could have faced up to seven years in jail if found
guilty of possessing an unlicensed gun.
Minutes after the verdict, Khan, accompanied by a gaggle of
lawyers and his sister, walked out of court without stopping to
comment on the verdict. Later he tweeted: "Thank you for all the
support and good wishes."
This was not Khan's first brush with the law. In 2015, the
Bombay High Court overturned his conviction in a hit-and-run
case in which he was accused of running over a homeless man.
The actor is also accused of killing an endangered antelope in
October 1998. That case is being heard by a separate court.
Khan has churned out a series of blockbuster hits in the last
few years. His two releases in 2017 are both big ticket films
expected to make billions of rupees at the box office.
(Reporting by Shilpa Jamkhandikar; Editing by Tony Tharakan and
Randy Fabi)
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