The Rajasthan High Court is scheduled to hear Bollywood actor Salman Khan's appeal in the blackbuck poaching case on September 22, 2025. Justice Manoj Kumar Garg will preside over the hearing. The court will also hear the state government's appeal against the acquittal of co-accused film stars Saif Ali Khan, Tabu, Sonali Bendre, Neelam, and local resident Dushyant Singh.
The case dates back to October 1-2, 1998, when Salman Khan and others were accused of hunting two blackbucks in the Kankani village near Jodhpur, while filming the movie "Hum Saath Saath Hain". Blackbucks are a protected species under the Wildlife Protection Act. In April 2018, a trial court convicted Salman Khan and sentenced him to five years in prison. The other accused were acquitted due to a lack of evidence.
Salman Khan then challenged his conviction in the District and Sessions Court at Jodhpur, which granted him bail. Subsequently, he filed a petition to transfer his appeal to the High Court, seeking to combine it with the state government's appeal against the acquittal of the co-accused. The Rajasthan High Court approved the transfer.
According to Mahipal Bishnoi, the prosecution's counsel, Salman Khan's lawyers sought the transfer to ensure that all related appeals could be heard together. Justice Manoj Kumar Garg has now ordered the appeals to be heard jointly on September 22, 2025.
The Bishnoi community, known for their wildlife protection efforts, initially filed the complaints against the actors. The case has remained in the public eye for over two decades, highlighting the complexities of India's legal system and the scrutiny faced by celebrities involved in legal battles.