The actor's acquittal in the Chinkara poaching case has been challenged in the Supreme Court by the Rajasthan government.
Shriram Iyengar
Actor Salman Khan has been issued a notice by the Supreme Court on an appeal by the Rajasthan government challenging his acquittal in two poaching cases. The actor was declared not guilty by a Rajasthan High Court in July of killing an endangered species of black buck.
Khan, along with his Hum Saath Saath Hain co-stars Saif Ali Khan, was accused of illegally poaching endangered chinkaras in 1998. The actor was awarded a one year jail term and a five year prison term in 2007. However, the actor spent only a week in jail in Jodhpur, before being granted bail.
During the acquittal in July, the High Court in Rajasthan had remarked that there was no evidence to prove if the animals found dead were indeed shot by Khan's weapon. However, in October last year, the Rajasthan government appealed to the Supreme Court against the acquittal of the actors. However, after the acquittal, a television channel found the missing driver, and the only witness, for the case, Harish Dulani. Last month, the Rajasthan government had appealed to the Supreme Court to admit Dulani's statement in the prosecution. However, Khan's lawyers argued that they haven't had the opportunity to cross-examine Dulani.
This is not the only poaching case Salman Khan is accused of. The actor is also involved in the poaching of a protected species of black buck in 1998. That case is being tried separately.
