‘Yes, Salman must take court’s nod every time he goes abroad’

Salman Khan will have to continue taking permission from the court every time he travels abroad, it was made clear on Saturday by the judge hearing a plea against the actor’s conviction in the blackbuck poaching case.

The actor’s counsel had moved an application before the District and Sessions Judge Chandra Kumar Songara here, seeking exemption from the requirement. But he withdrew the application after the prosecution raised objections.

The court is hearing the Bollywood star’s plea against his conviction by a lower court, which had handed him a five-year jail sentence for killing two blackbucks 20 years ago in Kankani village near here. Public prosecutor Pokar Ram Bishnoi said since the arguments had already begun, it would not be appropriate to grant Khan permanent relaxation from permission to travel.

Khan’s lawyer Mahesh Bora had cited a similar relaxation allowed to the actor earlier by the high court during the trial of another poaching case against him. When the judge asked why there was a problem in seeking the court’s permission each time, Khan’s counsel withdrew the application.

The lawyer, however, moved a fresh application seeking permission for Khan to travel to Malta and Saudi Arabia in August and September for shooting assignments. This was granted by the judge.

The trial court had convicted Khan on April 5 for killing the endangered animals in October 1998. The court had acquitted his four co-actors Saif Ali Khan, Tabu, Neelam and Sonali Bendre.