DHAKA: The Rajasthan High Court on Monday acquitted Salman Khan in the blackbuck and chinkara poaching cases of 1998.

Justice Nirmaljeet Kaur of Jodhpur principal seat of the High Court pronounced the verdict, reports The Hindu.

The actor has reportedly been given the benefit of doubt.

Salman Khan was allegedly involved in poaching of two blackbucks near Jodhpur in the intervening night of 1-2 October, 1998.

The case under the Arms Act was registered with the Luni Police station in Jodhpur as the forest department of Rajasthan alleged that the arms used by the actor during the poaching incident had expired licenses and so he used them illegally.

Khan was in Jodhpur for the shooting of movie Hum Saath Saath Hain when the incident occurred.

The two blackbucks, a protected animal under the Wildlife Protection Act, were killed on the outskirts of Kankani village near Jodhpur.

The actor was earlier handed down a five-year sentence by a lower court in 2006.

BDST: 1340 HRS, JUL 25, 2016
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