A Jodhpur court on Wednesday exempted actors Salman Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Tabu, Sonali Bendre and Neelam from personal appearance in the blackbuck poaching case on security grounds.
The court had summoned Salman and four co-accused to record their statements in the case filed against them for poaching blackbuck at Kankani village.
However, an application was filed on behalf of the actors saying that they are unable to appear personally due to lack of adequate security ahead of the Republic Day celebrations as Rajasthan Chief Minister Vadundhara Raje and Governor Kalyan Singh have arrived in Jodhpur. “After police expressed their inability to provide adequate security to the film stars, we moved a petition to exempt the accused from personally appearing in the court on Wednesday,” defence council KK Vyas told reporters. The hearing has been adjourned till Friday, January 27.
The incident took place on October 1, 1998, when the five actors were allegedly seen hunting blackbucks at Kankani village in Rajasthan during the shooting of the movie ‘Hum Saath Saath Hain’.
Last week, a Jodhpur court had acquitted Salman in an Arms Act case linked to the blackbuck hunting.
DH News Service