Blackbuck poaching: Rajasthan govt challenges acquittal of Saif, Tabu and others in HC

The legal troubles of Bollywood actors Saif Ali Khan, Tabu, Neelam and Sonali Bendre have resurfaced in the 1998 blackbuck poaching case, as the Rajasthan government has approached the high court, challenging their acquittal.

The leave-to-appeal petition was heard on Friday in the court of justice Manoj Kumar Garg, who directed the matter to be listed along with related pending cases.

The next hearing in the matter has been scheduled for July 28.

According to government counsel Advocate Mahipal Vishnoi, the alleged poaching took place on 1 October 1998, in Kankani village near Jodhpur, during the shooting of the Bollywood film 'Hum Saath-Saath Hain'.

On 5 April 2018, the trial court convicted actor Salman Khan and sentenced him to five years in jail.

However, co-accused Saif Ali Khan, Tabu, Neelam, Sonali Bendre, and Dushyant Singh were acquitted due to lack of sufficient evidence.

The state government's appeal challenges these acquittals and will also include issues related to transfer petition permissions and the sentence awarded to Salman Khan.

The Kankani Village case was reported in the year 1998 after which Salman Khan was convicted on 5 April 2018, and sent to Jodhpur Central Jail.

He was granted conditional bail on 7 April 2018, after depositing Rs 50,000. He remains out on bail, and the case is currently pending in the High Court.

Salman was sentenced to five years by the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) Court on 10 April 2006. He appealed to the High Court, which acquitted him on 25 July 2016.

The state government challenged this in the Supreme Court, where the matter remains pending.

On 17 February 2006, Salman was sentenced to one year jail by the CJM Court in another case. He was later acquitted by the high court.

The state government again appealed in the Supreme Court, and the hearing is still pending.

Salman was also accused in Arms Act Case. Later, he was acquitted on 18 January 2017, in connection with illegal possession of arms during the poaching incidents.