Black buck poaching case: Verdict today, Salman Khan may face 6 years in jail

New Delhi : Bollywood star Salman Khan may face six years in jail as Jodhpur Court is set to pronounce its verdict in a 1998 black buck poaching case in which he is accused of killing at least two black bucks.

Final arguments were closed on March 28 after which the High Court had reserved its verdict for Thursday. Salman Khan and other accused actors like Sonali Bendre, Saif Ali Khan, Tabu and Neelam also landed in Jodhpur.

As per case, the actors were shooting for a movie together, they allegedly went for hunting and apparently killed two black bucks in Kankani in the intervening night of October 1-2, 1998.

Angered with the act, Bishnoi community filed a complaint against the actors and demanded strict action against them. Salman Khan was also charged for keeping an arm with an expired license but was later acquitted by the trial court.

Salman Khan is facing charges under Section 51 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act and the other actors have been charged under Section 51 read with Section 149 (unlawful assembly) of the Indian Penal Code. Maximum punishment under Section 51 is six years.