Blackbuck Case: Rajasthan HC sends fresh notice to Saif, Sonali, others on plea challenging their acquittal

The Rajasthan High Court sent fresh notices to Saif Ali Khan, Sonali Bendre, Neelam, Tabu and Dushyant Singh on a plea filed by the government against their acquittal by a CJM court. The hearing will take place after 8 weeks.

This comes over seven months after the four actors were acquitted in the said case due to lack of evidence, while Salman Khan was convicted and sentenced to five years' imprisonment after being found guilty of killing two Blackbucks in Jodhpur during the shooting of his 1998 blockbuster Hum Saath Saath Hain. Salman Khan was charged under Section 51 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act and others under Section 51 read with Section 149 (unlawful assembly) of the Indian Penal Code.

Dushyant Singh, a local who took Salman Khan and others to the jungle in a Gypsy car, was also acquitted. Following the court's order, the Bishnoi Sabha had decided to appeal against the acquittal of the Saif Ali Khan and three other co-accused.

All the actors were in a Gypsy that night with Salman in the driving seat. He spotted a herd of blackbucks and killed two of them, the lawyer said. The blackbuck that Salman killed is an endangered species and is protected under the Indian Wildlife Act.