Salman Khan issued SC notice in Chinkara poaching case

The Supreme Court on 11 November issued a notice to Bollywood actor Salman Khan on the Rajasthan government's appeal against his acquittal in two Chinkara poaching cases.

The top court will hear the plea filed by the Rajasthan government last month challenging the High Court's order.

The state's Law Minister, Rajendra Rathore had told the media that the government was studying the merits and demerits of the case and had decided to appeal against the decision.

The Rajasthan High Court had on 25 July acquitted Khan in two cases of chinkara (black buck) poaching in Jodhpur, while observing that the statement of a key witness could not be considered as he had "disappeared" and the defence could not cross-examine him during the trial.

The witness, the driver of the vehicle in which the actor was travelling when the alleged incidents had taken place, surfaced after the High Court verdict and claimed Khan had shot the gazelle.

Two separate cases were registered against the actor under section 51 of the Wildlife Protection Act for poaching two chinkara, an endangered gazelle, in Bhawad village on 26-27 September, 1998 and one in Mathania (Ghoda Farm) on 28-29 September, 1998.

The Chief Judicial Magistrates court had convicted him in both the cases and sentenced him to one year and five years of imprisonment on 17 February, 2006 and 10 April, 2006 respectively.

The verdicts were challenged by Khan in the Sessions Court which dismissed the appeal in the Mathania case and transferred the one in connection with the Bhawad incident to the High Court where two appeals by the state government in connection with the cases were already pending.