Jaipur: Bollywood actor Salman Khan was acquitted on Monday by the Rajasthan High Court in 18 year old blackbuck and Chinkara poaching cases.

Court, in its decision, said that there was no evidence that the animals  found dead were shot by Khan’s licensed gun.

Earlier, High Court had reserved its verdict in the case after hearing on 13th May this year. The actor was not present in court when the verdict was pronounced.

Salman Khan and seven others were accused of killing a blackbuck and a chinkara in two seperate incidents near Jodhpur in 1998.

The incidents allegedly took place when the actors and other were shooting for a film. One of the animals was killed at Bhawad on the outskirts of Jodhpur and other at Ghoda Farms.

Earlier, lower courts had sentenced him to one and five years in jail in these two separate case in 2006. In 2007, Salman Khan had spent a week in jail in Jodhpur before being granted bail.