All you need to know about the Black Buck case 

In what came as a huge relief to Bollywood actor Salman Khan, the Jodhpur High Court on Wednesday acquitted him. Here's a timeline of the case.
Salman Khan | PTI
Salman Khan | PTI

September 26, 1998 – Salman Khan is alleged to have hunted two Chinkaras (Black Buck), an endangered species at Bhawad, Jodhpur in Rajasthan.  The incident took place when actors Salman Khan, Tabu, Saif Ali Khan, Neelam and Sonali Bendre were present there to shoot 'Hum Saath Saath Hain'.

September 28, 1998 – Khan allegedly hunts another Chinkara at Ghoda farms.

October 2, 1998 – Bishnoi villagers file a complaint against Salman Khan and his co-stars.

October 12, 1998 – Salman Khan is arrested for hunting endangered species but granted bail after five days.

April 10, 2006 – Jodhpur- Salman Khan is convicted under Wildlife Protection Act by a trial court. He is sentenced to five years imprisonment and a fine of Rs 25,000.

August 24, 2007 – Session Court upholds the conviction, dismissing the actor's appeal.

August 31, 2007 – Jodhpur – Salman Khan is sentenced for five years of prison which was subsequently suspended after a week.  He spent six days in Jodhpur Central Jail. Charges against him under the Arms Act is dropped by the Rajasthan High court.

July 24, 2012 – Rajasthan High Court finalises charges against all the accused.

December 2012 – Rajasthan High Court revises charges against the actor. Salman is charged with Section 9/15 of the Wildlife Protection Act.

August 2013 – The actor is denied visa for the UK

November 13, 2013 – Rajasthan High Court stays the actor's sentence. Khan gets the UK visa for travelling for a film shooting.

July 9, 2014 – A notice is issued to Salman Khan by the Supreme Court on Rajasthan government's plea challenging the High Court order which suspended his sentence.

November 5, 2014 – An SC bench comprising Justice SJ Mukhopadhyay and Justice AK Goel reserves its order saying the actor's conviction cannot be stayed simply because he is not able to procure a UK visa.

July 25, 2016 – Salman Khan is acquitted by Rajasthan High Court saying that there was no evidence to prove that the black bucks hunted were shot by the actor's gun, the license of which had expired.

October 19, 2016 – Rajasthan government appeals to Supreme Court, challenging the High Court's decision to acquit Salman Khan in the poaching case.

November 11, 2016 -  Supreme Court rules to hasten hearing on the poaching, agreeing to a plea by Rajasthan government to fast-track the case.

January 18, 2017- Jodhpur High Court acquits 51-year-old Salman Khan in Arms Act case. 

January 25, 2017 - Jodhpur Court deferred hearing against Khan in poaching cases till January 27

January 27, 2017 Salman Khan, Saif Ali Khan, Tabu, Sonali Bendre and Neelam gave their personal statements before a court in Jodhpur. The actors denied the charges read out to them by the judge.

February 15, 2017 – Khans lawyer refused to produce any evidence in defence saying all of them have already been produced in the court to prove his innocence.

September 13, 2017 - A trial court hears the final arguments in the case.

October 24, 2017 - Final arguments by the prosecution in the case against the actors were completed in a trial.

March 28, 2018 - Final arguments of the case were completed in the trial court. Chief Judicial Magistrate Dev Kumar Khatri had reserved the judgment.

April 4, 2018: All the four actors, who will be appearing in the court for the verdict, reached Jodhpur.

April 5, 2018 - Jodhpur court convicts Salman Khan. Tabu, Saif Ali Khan, Neelam and Sonali walk free.

What is Arms Act case?

The Arms Act of 1959 is an act of Parliament of India to consolidate and amend the law relating to arms and ammunition in order to curb illegal weapons and violence stemming from them.

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