Salman Khan convicted in blackbuck poaching case: As it happened on April 5, 2018

The other four actors Saif Ali Khan, Tabu, Sonali Bendre and Neelam, have been acquitted in the case.

Pic courtesy: PTI

Jodhpur: A court on Thursday convicted superstar Salman Khan and sentenced him to five years in prison for killing two blackbucks, capping a 20-year case that began with a late night safari outside Jodhpur on the sidelines of a film shoot. The court acquitted his Bollywood colleagues Saif Ali Khan, Tabu, Neelam and Sonali Bendre and a local, Dushyant Singh, giving them the "benefit of doubt" for the incident in October 1998. 

This is Salman's fourth stint in the Jodhpur Central Jail. He had earlier spent a total of 18 days in the jail in 1998, 2006 and 2007, all for cases of poaching.

Final arguments in the blackbuck case were completed in the trial court on March 28. In his verdict, Khatri also imposed a Rs 10,000 fine after finding him guilty under Section 9/51 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act, which prescribes a maximum punishment of six years behind bars.

05 April 2018

17:41 IST

Statement by Salman Khan's lawyer Anand Desai: 

We respect the decision of the Hon'ble court. While we are studying the judgement it just came as a surprise, as the entire investigation and facts of this case were the same as those for which Salman has been acquitted by the Hon'ble High Court of Rajasthan in two cases and even by the Hon'ble CJM in the Arms Act matter for the alleged offence on the very same night as is the subject matter of the present case. Also, in the present case, the Hon'ble court has acquitted all the five co-accused which would imply that Salman was out hunting alone in the middle of the night in a remote area outside Jodhpur. We have preferred an appeal to the Hon'ble Sessions Court and applied for an urgent hearing today (Thursday). The Hon'ble Sessions Court will hear the appeal for suspension of the sentence/bail at 10:30 tomorrow (Friday). 

16:56 IST

Rajasthan: #SalmanKhan in Jodhpur Central Jail premises. #BlackBuckPoachingCase pic.twitter.com/9b8NIEQEpy

— ANI (@ANI) April 5, 2018