Blackbuck poaching: Rajasthan moves SC against Salman Khan

Rajasthan High Court had on July 25 acquitted Salman Khan, who was accused of killing two chinkaras in separate incidents

Jaipur, Oct 19: The Rajasthan government has filed a special leave petition in the Supreme Court against the acquittal of Bollywood actor Salman Khan by the High Court in two 18-year-old chinkara poaching cases, a senior law officer said on Tuesday.

"Hearing on our SLP is expected to come up some time after Diwali vacations," Shiv Mangal Sharma, Additional Advocate General of the Rajasthan government in Supreme Court, told IANS.

The Rajasthan High Court in Jodhpur on July 25 acquitted Salman Khan, who was accused of killing two chinkaras in separate incidents.

One of the animals was killed at Bhawad on the outskirts of Jodhpur on September 26, 1998, and the other at Ghoda Farms on September 28, 1998.

Salman Khan was in Rajasthan shooting for the film 'Hum Saath Saath Hain' at the time.

Salman Khan moved the Jodhpur bench of the High Court to challenge his conviction by a lower court and award of one and five-year terms in the two poaching cases.

The state government too appealed against the lower court's verdict on different grounds.

On July 25, Justice Nirmaljit Kaur, while allowing Salman Khan's appeal, acquitted him of all charges and also dismissed the state government appeal for enhancing the sentence.

In August, Rajasthan's Additional Advocate General KL Thakur recommended to the state government to appeal in the Supreme Court against Salman Khan's acquittal by the High Court.

IANS