The entire nation is still reeling from the shock of Salman Khan's conviction in the 1998 Blackbuck Poaching Case. While the actor has been sentenced a 5-year jail term by a Jodhpur trail court, his co-accused Saif Ali Khan, Tabu, Neelam and Sonali Bendre have been acquitted. With the entire nation, film fraternity, media channels debating over Salman's fate, his lawyer Anand Desai released an official statement.

It reads as:

We respect the decision of the Hon'ble Court. While we are studying the judgement it just came as a surprise, as the entire investigation, and facts of this case were the same as those for which Salman has been acquitted by the Hon'ble High Court of Rajasthan in two cases, and even by the Hon'ble CJM in the Arms Act matter for the alleged offence on the very same night as is the subject matter of the present case. Also, in the present case the Hon'ble Court has acquitted all the 5 co-accused which would imply that Salman was out hunting alone in the middle of the night in a remote area outside Jodhpur. We have preferred an appeal to the Hon'ble Sessions Court and applied for an urgent hearing today. The Hon'ble Sessions Court will hear the appeal for suspension of the sentence / bail at 1030 tomorrow.

In another report, a judge in Jodhpur emphasized that the "accused is a film star and people look up to him". "Since the accused is a film star, people follow him and look up to him. And the way he killed innocent deer, and because there is rampant poaching...," said the judge, explaining his decision.

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The actor has at least Rs.600 crore is riding on him in terms of his upcoming films. With Salman being convicted and sentenced to five years’ imprisonment, the blow to the industry that has been buoyed by Salman’s humungous hits is huge.

Amidst the tension, the actor’s lawyers approached the court for his bail plea, which was later accepted. Hearing of the bail plea will take place around 10:30 am on Friday.