Blackbuck Poaching Case: Salman Khan gets bail, walks out of Jodhpur Central Jail

Bollywood superstar Salman Khan on Saturday walked out of the Jodhpur Central Jail as he was granted bail in the 20-year-old blackbuck poaching case.

While his fans gathered outside the jail, Salman’s family and his legal team received him as he was released from the jail. The Dabangg actor is expected to land in Mumbai by 8 pm.

Security has been beefed up outside Salman's residence in Mumbai.

At 3 pm, the Jodhpur district sessions court Judge Ravindra Kumar Joshi announced the bail and suspension of the sentence in the presence of Salman's lawyer Mahesh Bora, Hastimal Saraswat and the prosecutors.

The actor was granted bail on a bond of Rs.50,000 and two sureties of like amount, Defence counsel Mahesh Bora said.

Earlier in the day, the judge heard the arguments of prosecution and defence which lasted for about an hour and pronounced the order at around 3 pm, a defence counsel said. Khan's sisters - Alvira and Arpita - were present during the hearing.

As the news of the actor's bail came, celebration began outside his house in Mumbai. And hoards of supporters and fans thronged the jail premises with, singing and dancing.

Salman has been asked to appear before the court on May 7 for the next hearing.  

The actor, who delivered hits after hits, became the fall guy as he was found guilty of killing two blackbucks 20 years ago in 1998 during the shooting of his film Hum Saath Saath Hain in Jodhpur.

The Jodhpur session court on April 5 convicted Salman in the blackbuck poaching case and awarded five years imprisonment and a fine of Rs.10,000. Five others, including four actors, who were involved in the case were acquitted.

Earlier speculations had been rife that the actor will have to spend one more day at Jodhpur Central Jail as the judge, scheduled to hear the plea, was transferred on Friday.

Late of Friday, Judge Ravindra Kumar Joshi, who heard the bail plea of the actor, was transferred to Siroh by the Rajasthan High Court. He will be replaced by Chandra Kumar Songara, district and sessions judge of Bhilwara. Joshi was among 134 judges transferred by the Registrar General of the High Court.