Actor Salman Khan appealed his conviction in a black buck poaching case, and the Rajasthan High Court set a hearing date of September 22.
Khan’s appeal and the state government’s permission to challenge the acquittal of the co-accused—which included Saif Ali Khan, Tabu, Sonali Bendre, Neelam, and a local Dushyant Singh—will be heard by Justice Manoj Kumar Garg.
On April 5, 2018, the actor was found guilty by the trial court and given a five-year prison sentence.
After Khan’s appeal was transferred from the district and sessions court to the high court, both petitions were combined and scheduled for hearings, which led to the development in the high court.
“Salman Khan’s lawyers had earlier filed a transfer petition in the high court against his sentence from the district and session court, so that the appeal filed against him could be clubbed with the appeal filed by the state government,” said prosecution’s counsel Mahipal Bishnoi.
He noted that the hearing in both appeals had been put on hold for an extended period since the transfer was delayed for technical reasons.
While filming “Hum Saath Saath Hain” in 1998, Khan was charged with hunting two blackbucks in the Jodhpur district’s Kankani hamlet.
The chief judicial magistrate’s court (Jodhpur district) jailed Khan, the principal offender, but acquitted Saif Ali Khan, Bendre, Tabu, Neelam, and Singh.
Salman Khan appealed his conviction criminally, while the state administration requested permission to appeal the acquittal of the co-accused individuals.
