JODHPUR: Bollywood superstar Salman Khan was granted bail by a Jodhpur sessions court on Saturday, on surety of INR 50,000, two days after he was convicted in a 20-year-old case of poaching blackbucks. The date for the next hearing is set on May 7.
Judge Ravindra Kumar Joshi pronounced the order in the post-lunch session after hearing arguments in the morning for nearly an hour.
Salman’s sisters Alvira and Arpita were present in court with him.
As per media reports, Khan’s fans have gathered outside his residence in Mumbai to celebrate his bail and express their love for ‘bhai.’
Fans of #SalmanKhan gather outside his residence in Mumbai and celebrate following Jodhpur Court’s verdict in #BlackBuckPaochingCase. The Court granted him bail in the case. pic.twitter.com/STrcQuihjY
— ANI (@ANI) April 7, 2018
Khan was serving jail time, for killing two endangered blackbucks in 1998 since he was convicted on Thursday. Since his prison sentence exceeded three years, he could not appeal for bail immediately.
The District and Sessions Court Judge who had reserved the bail plea hearing, earlier on Friday was transferred, according to the Rajasthan High Court website.
According to reports, Khan’s lawyer, Hastimal Saraswat, outside the court said that the verdict will be pronounced post lunch and that all arguments have concluded.
On Friday, Judge Joshi had reserved the bail plea hearing in the blackbuck poaching case in which Salman has been convicted and sentenced to five years imprisonment and a fine of INR 10,000.
Joshi had asked for more documents, such as files of previous cases heard by Rural and High Courts, a decision could be taken on the bail plea.
Meanwhile, Khan spent a second consecutive day at the Jodhpur Central Jail as prisoner 106. The actor had several visitors in jail, including actor Preity Zinta and his sisters. Jail officials revealed that Khan consumed simple meals of dal, mixed vegetables and chapatti, contrary to rumours which stated that outside food was coming in for the actor. The jail officials were also quick to add that no mobile phones or selfies were allowed on the jail premises.
Friends and fans of the actor voiced their support for him on social media. These included actors Varun Dhawan, Arjun Rampal, director Subhash Ghai, actor-politician Jaya Bachchan and Raj Babbar.
Sonam Kapoor also took to social media Saturday to voice her support. She posted a cute picture of herself with Khan with the caption, “You’re the best! Always by your side!”
Others visited the actor’s family at his home in Galaxy Apartments in Mumbai.
Saif Ali Khan, who was acquitted in the case, and Shatrughan Sinha with wife Poonam and daughter Sonakshi called on the family. Ex sister-in-law Malaika Arora and Khan’s co-star Jacqueline Fernandez also visited the family.
Filmmaker Sajid Nadiadwala who a close friend of Salman, cancelled the success party of his latest release ‘Baaghi 2’ and left for Jodhpur soon after the verdict was announced.
However, other Bollywood powerhouses including Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan, Shabana Azmi and Javed Akhtar, known for articulating their views and active on social media have stayed quiet on the issue.
This is Salman’s fifth stint in jail, on charges varying from poaching and killing a pedestrian in a hit and run in 2002 in Mumbai.
Salman khan will be out soon, last time he was convicted and he was out withing 2 days.
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