The actor was expected to receive a judgment on his bail plea on his conviction in the blackbucks poaching case, submitted in court yesterday.
Blackbucks poaching case: Judge hearing Salman's bail plea among 87 district judges transferred in Rajasthan
Mumbai - 07 Apr 2018 10:35 IST
Our Correspondent
In a surprising development which might dissappoint actor Salman Khan's defense counsel, it has been revealed that the district sessions court judge hearing the actor's bail plea is among the 87 judges being transferred in Rajasthan. The judge, Ravindra Kumar Joshi, who heard Khan's bail plea on Friday, is likely to be transferred to Sirohi.
The news about the transfer broke late on Friday night. DNA reported that the court will be now taken over by Chandra Kumar Sonagra.
In addition to 87 district judges being transferred, the registrar general of high court also issued orders for the promotion of 20 judicial officers.
On Friday, the court had reserved their decision on the bail plea of Khan in the 1998 blackbucks poaching case, after hearing the arguments on the suspension of the sentence and bail application. The matter was deferred to today.
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This transfer has created an ambiguity over whether the decision will be passed today. The lawyer for the opposing Bishnoi community, Mahipal Singh Bishnoi, was quoted by CNN-News18 as saying, "It is to the judge's own discretion whether he wants to continue hearing the case or not."
The decision now rests on the judge's choice to deliver the reserved judgement, or to pass it on to the succeeding judge. As per latest updates, the judge is expected to attend the court.
Khan was sentenced to five years in prison for shooting and killing blackbucks near Kankani village in Jodhpur, Rajasthan. Khan was the only one convicted, while Tabu, Saif Ali Khan, Neelam Kothari and Sonali Bendre were acquitted in the case.
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