Blackbuck poaching: Salman gets 5-year jail; Bollywood has Rs 6 bn at stake

Actor Salman Khan was found guilty on Thursday in the 1998 blackbuck poaching case and was sentenced to five years in jail. The other four accused stars -- Sonali Bendre, Saif Ali Khan, Tabu and Neelam -- were acquitted of all charges.

The trial of the case was in progress since the last 19 years and the judge in a court here had reserved the order after the final arguments on March 28. Arguments were in progress in the court regarding the quantum of punishment for Salman.

Salman was accused in the case which took place while he was shooting for the film "Hum Saath-Saath Hain" in 1998. Jeev Raksha Bishnoi Sabha has protested against the decision of acquitting the other accused stars. Their acquittal will be challenged in the high court, said Shivraj Bishnoi, state president of the organisation.