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05 April 2018•Update: 06 April 2018
By Shuriah Niazi
NEW DELHI, India
An Indian court sentenced Bollywood superstar Salman Khan to five years in jail in the blackbuck poaching case on Thursday, local media reported.
Salman Khan was accused of killing two blackbucks -- an endangered species of antelope -- in Kankani village near Jodhpur in October 1998, during the shooting of his movie.
He was convicted under Wildlife Protection Act, which carries a maximum punishment of six years.
A fine of Rs 10,000 (US$155) has also been levied on the actor.
According to India Today, a lawyer involved in the case said that a DNA report and an eyewitness account are among the factors that nailed Salman Khan's guilt in the case.
Other co-accused actors- Saif Ali Khan, Tabu, Sonali Bendre and Neelam Kothari were acquitted by the same court.
The local Bishnoi Sabha, a community in Rajasthan committed to protecting the blackbucks, has decided to appeal against other acquittals, said the local media.
According to Indian TV channel Aaj Tak, Salman Khan has been taken into custody and a warrant is being prepared.
The actor will have to stay in Jodhpur Central Jail. His lawyers are expected to appeal in Rajasthan High Court against his conviction.
