File SLP in Salman case in SC, advises Rajasthan law officer

Rajasthan's Additional Advocate General K.L. Thakur on Saturday said that he had recommended the state government appeal in the Supreme Court against acquittal of Bollywood actor Salman Khan by Rajasthan High Court in the 18-year-old chinkara poaching cases.

"I have sent my opinion to the state government for filing the special leave petition (SLP) before the Supreme Court. It is my opinion ...it is a fit case to file SLP. The state government has to take final decision in this case," Thakur told IANS on phone from Jodhpur.

The Rajasthan High Court in Jodhpur on July 25 had acquitted Salman, who was accused of killing chinkaras in two separate incidents, in the poaching cases.

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.

Shooting for the film "Hum Saath Sath Hain" was on at the time.

Salman had appealed before the Jodhpur bench of the high court challenging a lower court verdict convicting him and sentencing him a one and five year term in the two separate cases of poaching.

However, Salman as well as the state government had appealed before the High Court challenging lower court's verdict on various grounds.

On July 25, Justice Nirmaljit Kaur, while allowing Salman's appeal, acquitted him from all the charges and also dismissed the appeal filed by the state government for enhancement of sentence.

--IANS

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