Blackbuck case: Salman, co-stars to appear before court on January 25

JODHPUR: Actor Salman Khan and co-stars of movie 'Hum Saath Saath Hain'- Saif Ali Khan, Tabu, Neelam and Sonali Bendre will appear before the court of

chief judicial magistrate on January 25

to record their statements in a case

under Wildlife Protection Act

for allegedly poaching two blackbucks at

Kankani village in Jodhpur

on October 1-2, 1998 while the film was being shot.

The development has taken place barely for days after the same court had summoned Khan on January 18 for final verdict on Arms Act case, which is linked to the poaching case.

After the completion of examinations of all 28 prosecution witness on Friday, chief judicial magistrate Dalpat Singh Rajpurohit ordered to record statements of the accused on January 25. There were four eyewitnesses against six convicts under Wildlife Protection Act. Sagar Ram and Chhoga Ram, two among for accused, had seen them poaching in a Gypsy whereas remaining two witnesses- Shera Ram and Mangi Lal-said to have chased the Gypsy, which was being driven allegedly by Khan.

"Of these four, Chhoga Ram could not be examined by either side due to his old age and mental disability followed by an application by his relative stating his inability to appear before the court," said Mahipal Bishnoi, a prosecution counsel.

There were 51 prosecution witnesses in the case, of which 28 were examined by both the sides, while the remaining had been dropped partly because of death or ill-health and partly because of their irrelevance for the case. Among four cases, which had been filed against Khan for poaching of endangered species of antelopes comprising Chinkara and blackbucks, this is the last case which has reached its last leg. Khan has already been acquitted in two cases of poaching and on January 18 the verdict is all set to come out in a case for alleged use and possession of arms with expired license.

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