Salman runs to HC with review plea to avoid jail

New Delhi: A Sessions Court in Jodhpur on Friday upheld the five-year jail term for actor Salman Khan in the Chinkara poaching case, turning down the actor’s appeal against his sentencing last year.

“Salman will now file a review petition in the high court, Salman’s lawyer Dipesh Mehta said.

“The honorable court has turned down Salman Khan’s appeal and has upheld the earlier order. His co-accused Govardan Singh has been considered and he has been acquitted. Since the court did not direct Salman to be present in court, there was no need for him to be there. Salman respects the court order,” he added.

The actor failed to appear for the hearing, saying he missed the flight to Jodhpur from Hyderabad where he is currently shooting.

However, Salman's sister Alvira Khan was present in court. The actor will now be arrested unless he surrenders before the court himself.

In April last year, Salman had filed an appeal in the district and sessions court against the judgment of the chief judicial magistrate's court in Jodhpur that had sentenced him to five years "rigorous" imprisonment and fined him Rs 25,000.

“Salman knew very well that his appeal would be turned down. Which is why he did not come to court. The judge said his presence or absence did not matter since it was judgement time. Now, Salman Khan will be arrested wherever he is or he could come and surrender himself,” said the lawyer of Bishnoi community Mahipal Bishnoi.

"There is no question of any option now. Had he been present in court, he would have been taken into custody right away. But now, wherever he his, he will be arrested," he said.

Salman is currently shooting in Hyderabad for a Telugu film. His lawyers say they will appeal in the High Court against the verdict.

Salman has been convicted of poaching a chinkara, an endangered deer species, in the Ghoda farm near Jodhpur on the intervening night of Sep 28, 1998 while filming for Sooraj Barjatiya's blockbuster Hum Saath Saath Hain.

A case was registered against Salman and five others under Sections 143, 144, 148 and 201 read with 149 of the Indian Penal Code, Section 51 and 52 of the Wildlife Protection Act and Section 27 of the Indian Arms Act at Mathania Police Station on Oct 11, 1998.