The Indian entertainment industry, especially Bollywood, has seen several high-profile actors embroiled in legal controversies, with some even serving time in jail. Here are 10 Indian celebrities who have spent time in prison:
Salman Khan
The Bollywood star was convicted in the 1998 blackbuck poaching case and sentenced to five years in jail in 2018 for killing two endangered blackbucks near Jodhpur while filming “Hum Saath Saath Hain.” He was granted bail a few days later and has since appealed the verdict. In the 2002 hit-and-run case, he was convicted by a lower court but acquitted by the Bombay High Court in 2015.
Sanjay Dutt
Sanjay Dutt was convicted for illegal possession of weapons in a case linked to the 1993 Mumbai serial blasts. He was originally sentenced to six years in prison in 2006. After a Supreme Court ruling in 2013 reduced the sentence, he served five years and was released in February 2016 for good conduct.
Rhea Chakraborty
Rhea Chakraborty was arrested by the Narcotics Control Bureau in September 2020 in connection with the Sushant Singh Rajput case. She spent 27–28 days in Mumbai’s Byculla jail before being granted bail. In 2024, the CBI filed a closure report, clearing her of all charges.
Aryan Khan
Shah Rukh Khan’s son Aryan Khan was arrested in October 2021 in the Mumbai cruise drugs case. He spent almost three weeks in jail before the Bombay High Court granted him bail. Charges against him were dropped in 2022 due to lack of evidence.
Shiney Ahuja
Actor Shiney Ahuja was found guilty of raping his domestic worker and sentenced to seven years in prison by a Mumbai court in 2011. He served a portion of his sentence before being granted bail pending appeal.
Sooraj Pancholi
Sooraj Pancholi was arrested in 2013 in connection with the death of actress Jiah Khan and spent about three weeks in jail. He was acquitted by a special CBI court in 2023 due to lack of evidence.
Rajpal Yadav
Comedy actor Rajpal Yadav was sentenced to three months in civil prison by the Delhi High Court for defaulting on a loan. He was immediately taken into custody to serve his sentence.
Fardeen Khan
Fardeen Khan was arrested in 2001 for attempting to buy cocaine. The charges were lessened over time, and he was granted immunity from prosecution in 2012 after complying with court orders, but he did spend time in custody after the initial arrest.
John Abraham
John Abraham was sentenced to 15 days in jail for a rash and negligent driving case in 2006. However, the sentence was eventually quashed, and he was released on bail.
Dalip Tahil
Veteran actor Dalip Tahil was sentenced to two months in jail in a 2018 drunk-driving case.
These cases highlight that celebrities are subject to the same legal standards as other citizens. Some have resumed their careers post-incarceration, while others continue to deal with the aftermath of their legal battles.
