After a long wait of 18 years, Salman Khan has been acquitted in the Chinkara and Blackbuck poaching cases. The actor and 7 others were accused of killing the animals -- both protected species -- in two separate incidents in September 1998, while shooting for Sooraj Barjatya’s ‘Hum Saath Saath Hain’ in Rajasthan.
The driver of the jeep that was used by Salman and his co-stars for their alleged hunt has been missing, weakening the prosecution's case against the movie star.
However, the state government can still appeal to the Supreme Court to over-rule today's decision. In 2007, Salman had spent a week in jail in Jodhpur before being granted bail.
A third case about Mr Khan's alleged poaching is yet to be decided in Rajasthan. The Rajasthan High Court passed the verdict a short while ago.
Thumbnail Image Source: Manav Manglani