Law is same for everybody: Rajasthan Law Minister on filing SLP in Salman poaching case

Rajasthan Law Minister Rajendra Singh Rathore on Wednesday said the state government has filed a Special Leave Petition (SLP) in the Supreme Court against the decision of the High Court that acquitted actor Salman Khan in the 1998 alleged chinkara poaching cases.

The Rajasthan High Court on July 25 had acquitted Salman in the poaching case for the want of evidences. The Law Minister had said the government was studying the merits and demerits of the case, and has now decided to appeal against the decision in the Supreme Court.

"Law is same for everybody, even if a person is a celebrity, and that is why the state government has decided to file an SLP," he told ANI.

"In the SLP, we have urged the apex court to quash the decision of the high court and Harish Dulani, a key witness, whose statements are not recorded, should be record now and the apex court should also take his statement into consideration," he added.

Salman was convicted by a lower court in 2006 in the two chinkara cases, but this was overturned by the High Court in its judgment Monday.

One of the animals was killed at Bhawad on the outskirts of Jodhpur on September 26, 1998, and the other at Ghoda Farms on September 28, 1998.

At that time, they were shooting for film 'Hum Sath Sath Hain'.

Chinkara is an endangered animal accorded the highest protection under the Wildlife Protection Act.