Salman Khan leaves jail after bail granted

JODHPUR, India: Bollywood superstar Salman Khan left prison on Saturday after being granted bail so he can contest a five-year jail sentence imposed for killing rare antelopes two decades ago.

Hundreds of frenzied fans awaited the 52-year-old as his vehicle sped through the gates of Jodhpur Central Jail, where the action star had spent two nights after being sentenced on Thursday.

Some tried to cling on to the sides of his sports utility vehicle and scores of motorbikes followed Khan as he was driven at high speed to Jodphur airport to a waiting chartered jet.

Swelling crowds -- many men emulating Khan’s distinctive hairstyle and clothes -- also gathered outside his luxury apartment in Mumbai, dancing to songs from his films.

A judge granted Khan, one of the world’s highest paid actors, bail in the sum of 50,000 rupees. He cannot leave India without court permission.

Hordes of fans outside the court erupted in celebration on hearing the result, beating drums and chanting Khan’s name.

Khan did not attend the bail hearing but prosecutor Mahipal Bishnoi said the actor must appear in court again on May 7.

Khan’s army of fans and the Bollywood elite had been stunned by the earlier sentence of the court in the city in Rajasthan state in the 20-year-old case.

Khan had denied shooting dead two rare antelopes known as black bucks on a hunting trip while filming a movie in 1998.

The actor -- affectionately known by the Hindi name "bhai", or "brother", enjoys a cult-like status.

But while his fans and producers of upcoming films may be relieved, Khan still faces a major courtroom drama.

Animal rights group PETA said it was disappointed with Khan’s bail.

"While Salman Khan gets to go back home to his movie star life for now, black bucks were made to pay the highest price, with their lives," Manilal Valliyate, chief executive of PETA India, said in a statement.

The brawny actor, called Prisoner 106 in jail, reportedly skipped his no-frills prison meals during his two days of incarceration but not his workout sessions. The Times of India newspaper said he spent three hours exercising on Friday.

Khan has accused Rajasthan’s forest department of trying to frame him. His lawyers claim the black bucks died of natural causes such as overeating, insisting there was no evidence they were shot.

Four other Bollywood stars -- Saif Ali Khan, Sonali Bendre, Tabu and Neelam Kothari -- who were also accused in the case were acquitted due to lack of evidence.

Khan remains one of Bollywood’s biggest draws despite the off-screen drama, starring in more than 100 films and television shows.

He finished second behind Shah Rukh Khan in the 2017 Bollywood earnings rankings. Both the Khans are among the world’s top 10 best paid actors.

The Bollywood heartthrob’s latest blockbuster "Tiger Zinda Hai" (Tiger is Alive) collected some $85 million worldwide.

Khan has nearly $90 million riding on his projects in coming months with at least three films in the pipeline, analysts say.

A director of one of Khan’s upcoming films "Race 3" expressed relief at his release. "I am happy that he has got bail. After working with him so closely I have become a huge fan of him, not only as an actor but also as a human being," Remo D’Souza told the Press Trust of India.