Salman Khan's pleas in the blackbuck poaching case will now be heard in the Rajasthan High Court. The blackbuck poaching case dates back to 1998, when the actor had allegedly killed two blackbucks in Jodhpur.The actor was charged under section 9/51 of the Indian Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972. His co-actors in the movie Sonali Bendre, Saif Ali Khan, Neelam and Tabu were also booked under Section 51 of the Wildlife (Protection) Act and under Section 149 (unlawful assembly) of the IPC. However, his co-actors were all acquitted after being given the benefit of doubt by the court. Two other accused in the case were identified as Dinesh Gawre and Dushyant Singh.
In 2007, the Rajasthan High Court sentenced Salman to five years of imprisonment. However, it was later suspended by the court after he spends a week in jail. In 2012, the Rajasthan High Court finalised the charges against the actor to being a fresh trial process. In 2014, a legal notice was sent to Salman, challenging an earlier suspension order of the actor's conviction by the HC in 2007. In 2016, the Rajasthan government filed an appeal in the Supreme Court after the Rajasthan High Court acquitted the actor of all charges. The top court ruled to expedite the hearing process in the case.