Salman released from Jodhpur jail after HC grants bail

Jodhpur, Aug 31 (UNI) Actor Salman Khan was released from the Central Jail here this evening after the Rajasthan High Court order grantied him bail in the Chinkara poaching case.

The actor, who was sent to jail on August 25 after District and Sessions Court Judge Kamal Raj Singhvi upheld the lower court's verdict of April 10, 2006 sentencing him to five years imprisonment for poaching chinkara and issued a non-bailable arrest warrant against him August 24, walked out of the jail at 1756 hours, within an hour of the release order reaching the jail authorities.

His lawyer Dipesh Mehta was waiting to receive him, while his family members who had reached here a couple of days back, were waiting for him at the hotel only.

They were expected to leave for Mumbai later in the evening.

Earlier, admitting the revision petition filed by the actor against the jail sentence, High Court Judge H R Panwar suspended the sentence and released the actor on a personal surety bond of Rs one lakh and two penalties of Rs 50,000 each.

The order was sent to Chief Judicial Magistrate Ravi Sharma's court, who then ordered Salman's release.

The copy of the CJM's order reached the jail authorities at 1700 in the evening, who finished the paperwork for the actor's release.

The next hearing of the case will be held on October 24, when Salman will have to be present in the court.

UNI