Jodhpur Court sessions Judge Transferred hours before Salman Khan bail plea hearing today

Jodhpur District and Sessions Court Judge Ravindra Kumar Joshi’s was transferred to Sirohi, just hours after he reserved the bail plea to Saturday, indicating possible delay in the case.

After Joshi’s order for more documents, such as files of previous cases heard by Rural and High Courts, the High Court website on Friday night transferred him and listed Sirohi District and Sessions Court Judge Chandra Shekhar Sharma will be joining the bail plea hearing.

The defence and prosecution will present their arguments at 10.30 a.m. today, April 7, in the sensational case involving Bollywood actor Salman Khan in a 1998 blackbuck poaching case. His lawyer Mahesh Bora will present his arguments listing 54 reasons for the bail in a 51-page bail application, raising a benefit of doubt as only Salman had been convicted out of six accused.

Apart from Salman Khan, other Bollywood stars Saif Ali Khan, Tabu, Sonali Bendre and Neelam were part of the hunting team on October 1-2 night in 1998 outside a reserve forest near Kankani village in Jodhpur. They were all shooting for “Hum Saath Saath Hain” film.

Salman was found guilty and convicted Salman under Section 9/51 of the Wildlife Protection Act as local Bishnoi community pressed for severe punishment to the actor for killing the blackbuck whcy they worship. Salman had spent two days in the Jodhpur Central Jail as “Qaidi No. 106”.

So far, only 35 convicts have been jailed for various wildlife crimes under the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, mostly for poaching tigers and smuggling body parts, seahorse, snakes and other animals in India.