Salman Khan, Bollywood superstar, bailed in poaching case

Bollywood superstar Salman Khan has been granted bail two days after he was jailed for poaching rare antelope back in 1998.

Khan had been convicted in Jodhpur and received a sentence to five years in jail and was also fined 10,000 rupees.

It was ruled in the court that Khan, 52, had killed the two blackbucks, a protected species, in Rajasthan while shooting the movie Hum Saath Saath Hain.

According to NDTV, Salman Khan’s defence team had questioned the testing of the animals and the reliability of witnesses. Four other actors who starred with him in the movie have been acquitted. Khan, who spent two nights in Jodhpur jail, will appeal against his conviction at a higher court.

Judge Ravindra Kumar Joshi delivered Saturday’s bail decision at the Jodhpur court.

Salman Khan’s huge fan base have been in full voice in his support this week on social media and huge crowds were not deterred by searing temperatures to make their presence known outside the court. An all dancing all singing style party started up on news that he had received bail terms.

There was some balance though with animal rights activists arguing for a tougher punishment. For more read here to find out what is behind the Salman Khan case?

 

Is the case negatively affecting Salman Khan’s popularity?

Someone of Khan’s stature is unlikely to be too damaged in terms of reputation. A similar situation arose for Australian cricketing legend Glenn McGrath after he was photographed with what looked like dead game animals in Africa earlier in the decade. It was considered in the Australian media that he was just too big to topple. But there are never guarantees and many a popular icon has fallen for one reason or other in recent years across the globe.

Fans of Salman regularly gather outside his Mumbai apartment building in hope of a glimpse or dare they dream, a selfie, with their hero and that at least shows no signs of slowing up.

In the meantime, Khan will have to remain in India unless he gets court permissions to leave. Salman Khan will also have to appear in the court on May 7 — exactly a month after this bail, said a defence counsel.