The Gir Nature Club,a Saurashtra-based NGO working in the area of wildlife protection,has moved the Gujarat High Court,seeking to quash a stay order by it on the proceedings of a Bhuj court against actor-producer Aamir Khan and other team members of the Oscar nominated movie Lagaan,allegedly for cruelty to a chinkara during filming in 2000. The hearing is slated for April 23. In 2006,the GRC had raised allegations that the Schedule-I animal was illegally filmed and kept captive,which led to its death. Khan,his former wife and co-producer Reena Dutta,director Ashutosh Gowariker,along with other two unit members,Belle Shirnivas Rao and Anil Mehta were booked for violation of the Wildlife Protection Act,1972. After the issue was raised by the GNC in 2006,assistant conservator of forest J V Vyas filed a police complaint in 2008,following an inquiry. This led to the issue of bailable warrants against the five accused by the Bhuj court in April 2008. Khan and the team got a respite from the Gujarat High Court by getting a stay on the Bhuj court proceedings,in April 2008. GNC president Amit Jethva said: We have moved the HC,seeking to quash the stay on proceedings by the Bhuj court. Jethva also filed another plea seeking to make him an applicant in the case. So far the applicant is the Gujarat State Forest Department. Jethva added: As it was GNC which had raised the issue that led to the investigation,the filing of the complaint and the issue of the warrants,we would like to become an applicant in the case. At the time of getting the stay in his favour,Khan had told the high court that they did not use a real chinkara. The scene was created using computer graphics. The forest department,however,has alleged that the chinkara footage was taken without its permission. The filming of the animal is prohibited without the permission of the forest department.
