Court fixes Feb 6 as next date of hearing in Blackbuck poaching case

The hearing was postponed as Khan's advocate, Hastimal Saraswat, applied the attendance apology which was accepted by the court. However, Khan's advocate told the court that whenever it orders, the appellant will be present in person.

Jodhpur: The appeal on blackbuck hunting case related to film actor Salman Khan which was to be heard in District and Session Court of Rajasthan's Jodhpur on Saturday was postponed and the next hearing will be held on February 6.

The hearing was postponed as Khan's advocate, Hastimal Saraswat, applied the attendance apology which was accepted by the court.

The apology application submitted to the court cites coronavirus pandemic as the reason for his absence.

It said, "it was risky for Salman to appear in the court."

However, Khan's advocate told the court that whenever it orders, the appellant will be present in person.

Salman Khan was booked under Section 51 of Wildlife Protection Act for poaching two chinkaras in Bhawad village on 26-27 September 1998 and one chinkara in Mathania on September 28, 1998.

On April 2018, Khan was sentenced to five years imprisonment after being found guilty of killing two blackbucks in Jodhpur during the shooting of his 1998 movie 'Hum Saath Saath Hain'.

However, the court granted him bail after he spent two nights at the Jodhpur jail. His co-stars -- Saif Ali Khan, Sonali Bendre, Neelam Kothari and Tabu -- besides another accused Dushyant Singh were acquitted due to lack of evidence.