In a major relief to film actor Salman Khan, Rajasthan high court on Wednesday rejected the revision petition filed by the state government against him in the 14-year-old blackbuck poaching case.
Now, the actor need not travel to Jodhpur for personal appearance before the court. With this decision the high court also directed the lower court to initiate a trial in the matter, which has been pending for the past four years.
After the lower court rejected the revision petition, the government had moved the high court 2006, saying it wanted to make changes in the chargesheet filed against Salman for possession of arms.
Salman’s lawyer HM Saraswat said the court was told if the revision petition was allowed, the entire trial in the case would have to be repeated, especially when the trial court had framed charges against the actor on the basis of FIR and the statements of 15 witnesses.
Besides Salman, actors Saif Ali Khan, Sonali Bendre, Tabu and Neelam were accused of poaching two Blackbucks the same day in the intervening night of October 1 and 2, 1998 in Kankani village near Jodhpur during the shooting of the film 'Hum Saath Saath Hain'.
{{/usCountry}}Besides Salman, actors Saif Ali Khan, Sonali Bendre, Tabu and Neelam were accused of poaching two Blackbucks the same day in the intervening night of October 1 and 2, 1998 in Kankani village near Jodhpur during the shooting of the film 'Hum Saath Saath Hain'.
{{/usCountry}}He was also booked for illegal possession of guns whose licence had expired on September 22, 1998.