A court in Rajasthan, India on Thursday sentenced Bollywood star, Salman Khan, to five years in jail for killing a blackbuck, an endangered species of antelope, in 1998.
Khan, 52, was found guilty of violating the country’s wildlife law in a ruling that threatens to derail his career.
Four other Bollywood actors accused in the case were acquitted.
“A warrant has been issued in his name and he will be sent to central jail,” prosecution lawyer Mahipal Bishnoi told reporters outside the court in Jodhpur, a city in Rajasthan state.
Khan had pleaded innocent in the case that was brought by members of a community known as the Bishnoi, who revere antelopes.
Khan’s lawyer could not be reached for comment and it was not immediately clear if the actor would seek bail.
Earlier, Khan entered the court complex wearing a black shirt and sporting sunglasses. Security was tight.
Four other Bollywood actors accused in the case – Saif Ali Khan, Neelam, Tabu and Sonali Bendre – were acquitted, Bishnoi said.
The Bishnoi community considers killing animals unholy. They have pursued the case against Khan for almost two decades and on Thursday they cheered and clapped the decision, television footage showed.
Khan has had a history of run-ins with the law.
In 2015, the Bombay High Court overturned his conviction in a hit-and-run case in which he was accused of running over a group of people sleeping on a city sidewalk, killing one and injuring four.
Last year, another court in Jodhpur acquitted Khan in a separate poaching case, ruling that there was no proof that Khan had killed an endangered gazelle.
In a film career spanning almost thirty years, Khan has received numerous awards, including two National Film Awards and two Filmfare Awards.
He has a significant following in Asia and the Indian diaspora worldwide and is cited in the media as one of the most commercially successful actors of Indian cinema.
