The Rajasthan High Court has officially listed actor Salman Khan’s long-pending appeal in the blackbuck poaching case for hearing on September 22, 2025. The case, which has spanned over two decades, dates back to October 1998 when Khan and several Bollywood co-stars were accused of hunting two blackbucks during the shooting of Hum Saath Saath Hain near Jodhpur.
Justice Manoj Kumar Garg will preside over the hearing, which will also address the state government’s appealchallenging the acquittal of Khan’s co-accused — actors Saif Ali Khan, Tabu, Sonali Bendre, Neelam, and local resident Dushyant Singh.
The case, brought forward by the Bishnoi community, known for its environmental conservation ethos, has been filed under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972. Blackbucks are a protected species under Indian law.
On April 5, 2018, a Jodhpur trial court had convicted Salman Khan, sentencing him to five years in jail and a fine of ₹10,000, while acquitting the remaining accused. Khan was briefly lodged in Jodhpur Central Jail before being granted bail the next day. In May 2025, Khan approached the High Court seeking to overturn the conviction, citing inconsistencies in the prosecution’s evidence and undue delay in the proceedings.
During earlier hearings, the High Court had observed, “The matter has remained pending for several years. It is time to examine the merits of the appeal with due attention.”
The hearing on September 22 is expected to be crucial, as both Salman Khan’s appeal and the state’s plea against the acquittals will be taken up together.
