Saif, Salman, 3 other actors charge-sheeted

Jaipur (Agencies): A court in Jodhpur on Saturday read out charges against four Bollywood stars - Tabu, Sonali Bendre, Neelam and Saif Ali Khan - in the 14-year-old case of blackbuck poaching while shooting for a film. Salman Khan is also charged in the case but was not present at the hearing.A The poaching allegedly occurred during the shooting of Rajshri Productions' "Hum Saath Saath Hain" in 1998.

Chief Judicial Magistrate Chandrakala Jain read out the charges under sections 9/51 and 9/52 of the Wildlife protection Act and 149 of IPC and posted the case for next hearing on April 27. Salman Khan had sought exemption from the court on the ground that he had to be out of the country for medical treatment.

The charges have been framed under the Wildlife Protection Act 1972 relating to hunting and inciting to poach blackbucks. If found guilty, the actors face imprisonment up to six years. These actors, however, denied all the charges. The case was filed against these actors for poaching of blackbucks in 1998 in Kankni village near Jodhpur. The blackbuck is a protected animal under the Wildlife Protection Act.

The High Court had revised the charges against the actors in December 2012, charging Salman Khan with section 51 of Wildlife Protection Act and others including a local accused Dushyant Singh with section 51/52 of Wildlife Protection Act and section 149 of IPC.