The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to hear a plea filed by the Rajasthan High Court challenging Bollywood actor Salman Khan’s acquittal in black buck killing case. The apex court has also issued a notice to the actor in the case.
On October 19, the Rajasthan government had filed a special leave petition in the Supreme Court against Salman in two cases related to the poaching of endangered black bucks. The petition was against the actor’s acquittal by the high court on July 25 this year.
A black buck was killed in Bhawad on the outskirts of Jodhpur on September 26, 1998, whereas the second one was killed at Ghoda Farm two days later. The incident occurred during the shooting of Sooraj Barjatya’s directorial venture Hum Saath Saath Hain, starring Salman. The Bollywood actor had moved the Jodhpur bench of the high court against the lower court’s verdict of one and five-year jail terms respectively.
The notice comes days after the apex court refused to hear the plea by a victim challenging the Sultan actor’s acquittal in the 2002 hit-and-run case. While dismissing Niyamat Sheikh’s plea, the court said that a petition by the Maharashtra government challenging his acquittal is already pending before it.
