Disposing of a state government appeal against a sessions court order dropping some of the charges against the accused, the High Court has held that Khan will be charged under Section 51 of Wildlife Act and Section 149 of the IPC (Unlawful assembly), said Hastimal Saraswat, counsel for Salman Khan.

Section 51 of Wildlife Act carries jail sentence up to three years or fine or both.

Khan’s other colleagues who were caught with him while they were shooting for the film “Hum Saath Saath Hain” includes Saif Ali Khan, Tabu, Neelam and Sonali Bendre. The stars were accused of poaching two Blackbucks in October 1998, in a village near Jodhpur during the film’s shooting.

"After this decision of the high court, trial will now commence in the lower court under Section 51 of Wildlife Act, and Section 149 of IPC against Salman Khan and under section 52 of Wildlife Act and section 149 of IPC against others," Saraswat said.

Salman Khan has already been convicted for one year and five years for poaching two Chinkaras and one Blackbuck. Appeals against these sentences both by Salman Khan and state government are pending in the high court.