The Government of Rajasthan filed an appeal before the hon’ble Supreme Court challenging the order issued by the High Court to postpone the conviction of Salman Khan in poaching case on 12th November, 2013. The actor alleged that the concerned authorities are not issuing UK Visa which is violative of this fundamental right to travel abroad. The bench consisting of Justice S.J. Mukhopadhaya and Justice A.K. Goel in reply pointed out that it is the hardship of the appellant and the not of the Court. In this matter, the Supreme Court reserved its decision and iterated that the conviction of the actor cannot be suspended due to the only reason that the UK visa is being denied to him. The Government of Rajasthan raised the argument that it is gross injustice to postpone the suspension of the actor subsequent to the suspension of the order in five year jail term.
For the actor, advocate Sidharth Luthra appeared and raised the contention that the order of the Rajasthan High Court be upheld and thereby he could comply with his professional responsibilities and can travel abroad. To substantiate the arguments, the advocate highlighted the provisions of Article 19 (1)(a)which gives the right to carry on any trade, occupation and profession and Article 21 which guarantees right to life and personal liberty. The Court rejected the contentions by stating that the reasons placed before the court on behalf of the actor are not justified.
In 2007, the actor was sentenced by the lower Court for 5 years for killing black buck in danger of extinction in 1998. For this, the actor filed an appeal before the Rajasthan High Court and the Court suspended his conviction for the reason that the actor wants to travel abroad for film shooting. Moreover, his visa lapsed and fresh visa was not issued by UK to the convicted person as per their law. Presently, he is on bail in that case but he has undergone imprisonment in Jodhpur jail for similar offence of killing endangered animals. In the hit and run case, the actor has to undergo retrial in the Mumbai Court.
