Salman Khan's bail plea hearing today

Jodhpur, Aug 30: The Rajasthan High Court will today hear the bail plea of Bollywood actor Salman Khan in connection with the 1998 Chinkara poaching case.Justice Gopal Krishna Vyas on Wednesday refused to hear the plea and referred the same to some other bench. He recused himself from hearing the plea on grounds of "judicial propriety".

The court of Justice H R Panwar will hear the case.

Salman"s lawyers have approached the court and sought a suspension of his five-year jail sentence.

Salman was taken into custody on August 25 after his appeal against a lower court order was turned down by a Jodhpur court.

Salman, who was convicted on April 10, 2006, is presently lodged in Jodhpur Central jail. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 25,000 on him.

The actor has been charged with poaching two Chinkaras at Ujiyala Bhakhar near Ghoda Farm.

Bollywood actors Saif Ali Khan, Satish Shah, Sonali Bendre, Tabu and Neelam Kothari have been acquitted in the case.

Salman has also been sentenced to a year's imprisonment in another poaching case at Bhawad. He has appealed against this as well.

The case is pending before the Rajasthan High Court. The State Government has called for an enhancement of sentence.

ANI>