Rajasthan HC Judge Recuses From Hearing Appeals In Salman Khan Blackbuck Case
Hearing on appeals in the 1998 blackbuck poaching case was deferred after a Rajasthan High Court judge recused himself from the matter.
Published : February 16, 2026 at 5:50 PM IST
Jodhpur: Hearing on appeals in the 1998 blackbuck poaching case involving actor Salman Khan could not take place in the Rajasthan High Court on Monday after Justice Baljinder Singh Sandhu recused himself from the matter.
The court directed that the case file be placed before another bench. The Chief Justice will now decide which bench will hear the matter.
Advocate Mahipal Bishnoi said the appeals filed by the state government against Khan, as well as Khan’s transfer petition seeking a joint hearing of his appeal along with the state’s plea, were listed before Justice Sandhu. However, the judge declined to hear the matter, citing personal reasons as he had earlier been consulted in connection with the case.
Bishnoi said the matter will now be placed before the Chief Justice for further orders regarding listing before another bench. He added, earlier too, Farjand Ali had recused himself from hearing the case.
Khan’s counsel had earlier moved a transfer petition seeking that his appeal against conviction be heard along with the state government’s appeal. Justice Manoj Kumar Garg had directed that the procedural process be completed so that both matters could be listed together for joint hearing.
The case dates back to October 1998, when Khan was accused of hunting blackbucks near Kankani village on the outskirts of Jodhpur during the shooting of a film. In 2018, a trial court sentenced him to five years’ imprisonment. He later secured bail and challenged the conviction before a higher court.
Co-accused actors Saif Ali Khan, Neelam, Tabu and Sonali Bendre were acquitted by the trial court, which granted them the benefit of doubt. In a separate case related to the alleged possession of a weapon after the expiry of its licence, Khan was acquitted.
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