Just in: Salman Khan reaches the Jodhpur court along with co-accused Saif Ali Khan, Sonali Bendre, Tabu and Neelam. The actors will record their statements before the chief judicial magistrate court, Jodhpur District, in the 18-year-old black buck poaching case.


On January 13, the court had ordered the five accused actors to appear before it on January 25 to record their statements, but their counsel filed an application for exemption from appearance. The court then ordered the accused to appear on January 27.


The prosecution has examined only 28 witnesses of the total 51. If required, the defence side would be given a chance after the accused statements are recorded.

The five actors, who arrived in Jodhpur on Thursday, are accused of poaching two black bucks -- protected under the Wildlife Protection Act -- near Kankani village in Jodhpur while shooting for the film Hum Saath Saath Hain in 1998. Actor Salman Khan is also facing trial for possession of illegal firearms that were used to shoot the animals.

Two others, Dushyant Singh and Dinesh Ganware, are accused of helping the actors hunt. Ganware has been on the run since the incident and accusations against him are yet to be framed.


File pic.