Salman Khan's bail plea in blackbuck poaching case in Jodhpur court today

Salman Khan's bail plea in the 1998 blackbuck poaching case will be heard by a Jodhpur court today. Khan had earlier been found guilty of killing blackbucks and sentenced to 5 years in jail

Salman Khan's bail plea in the 1998 blackbuck poaching case will be heard on Monday by a Jodhpur court. The Bollywood actor arrived in Rajasthan's Jodhpur on Sunday afternoon to appear before the court. Khan had on April 5 been convicted in the 19-year-old case and sentenced to five years in jail for killing two blackbucks in Jodhpur during the shooting of the 1998 movie Hum Saath Saath Hain.

Subsequently, Salman was granted bail after spending two nights in the Jodhpur Central jail. Salman's Hum Saath Saath Hain co-stars Tabu, Sonali Bendre, Saif Ali Khan and Neelam and Jodhpur resident Dushyant Singh, another accused in the case, were all acquitted due to lack of evidence.

The blackbuck case is not the only instance of legal trouble Khan is facing. Also in April, a Mumbai court cancelled the bailable warrant against Khan in connection with the 2002 hit and run case. The court had issued the bailable warrant as Khan had not completed the procedure of providing surety on the past two dates. Further, a Ludhiana court on May 1 rejected a petition against Salman and Shilpa Shetty that sought action against them under the SC/ST Act for allegedly using derogatory words against the Valmiki community. In the same case, the Supreme Court on April 23 put on hold proceedings pending against Khan before several courts across the country in cases registered under the SC/ST Act.

Salman is set to be back on the small screen as the host of Dus Ka Dum and is shooting for the big screen venture Race 3, among other projects.

Here are the top 10 developments in the Salman Khan blackbuck poaching case:

Blackbuck case verdict: Salman Khan 'habitual' offender; faces jail-term

Bollywood actor Salman Khan was held guilty for poaching blackbuck in Jodhpur. He has been sentenced to two years in jail. Saif Ali Khan, Sonali Bendre, Neelam and Tabu were acquitted.

Jodhpur court has convicted Salman Khan in a 20-year-old blackbuck poaching case and acquitted actors Saif Ali Khan, Sonali Bendre, Neelam on Thursday. He has been sentenced to two years in jail. While arguing on the quantum of punishment, the prosecution called Salman Khan a habitual offender. Salman's lawyer strongly opposed the statement, saying that Salman has been acquitted from higher courts. Salman is involved in social service, the actor's lawyer also told the court.

Elaborate security arrangements were made in and outside the court premises ahead of the verdict. Final arguments in the case were completed in the trial court on March 28, after which Chief Judicial Magistrate Dev Kumar Khatri had reserved the judgment to be pronounced on April 5. All the actors arrived the city and were present in court during pronouncement of the verdict.

Salman Khan, 52, faced 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.

The actors were accused of hunting down two blackbucks in Bhagoda ki Dhani in village Kankani near Jodhpur on the intervening night of October 1 and 2, 1998. The actors were in the city for the shooting of the film 'Hum Saath Saath Hain'. Public Prosecutor Bhawani Singh Bhati said there was sufficient evidence against the actors.

Live updates on Blackbuck case 1998

12.30 pm: While arguing on the quantum of punishment, the prosecution called Salman Khan a habitual offender. Salman's lawyer strongly opposed the statement, saying that Salman has been acquitted from higher courts. Salman is involved in social service, the actor's lawyer also told the court.

12.20 pm: The prosecution has demanded the maximum punishment for Salman Khan.

12.14 pm: Congress leader Rajiv Shukla has said that Salman Khan will now have to abide by the ruling of the court. Senior advocate Ram Jethmalani further went on to say that the actor "probably deserves" it.

12.07 pm: Judge to pronounce verdict soon. Chief Judicial Magistrate Dev Kumar Khatri has now stepped out of his chamber, while everyone else remained seated. He is expected to decide on the quantum of punishment in a while.

12.00 pm: Court hearing concluded.

11.54 am: Salman Khan's lawyer pleads for probation or minimum punishment

11.48 am: Argument on quantum of sentence in progress

11.44 am: Actors Saif Ali Khan, Tabu, Sonali Bendre, and Neelam, the co-accused in the case, have been acquitted in the 1998 case blackbuck poaching case.

11.30 am: Jodhpur court convicts Salman Khan, acquits rest in 1998 blackbuck poaching case

11. 22 am: Security is heavily beefed up outside the court premises after Salman received a death threat. Salman arrived with his bodyguard Shera at the Jodhpur court.

10.50 am: Saif Ali Khan, Salman Khan, Sonali Bendre, Tabu arrive in Jodhpur court.

Salman Khan's hit and run case, 2002: Around 2 a.m. Salman Khan's Toyota Land Cruiser rams into a roadside bakery in Bandra West, close to his Galaxy Apartments seafront home. Five people sleeping are injured, one of whom later dies. Later that afternoon, Salman arrested by Bandra police and enlarged on bail by a Bandra Metropolitan Magistrate court.

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