The Supreme Court on Wednesday issued notice to actor Salman Khan on a plea by the Rajasthan government challenging the stay on his conviction and sentencing in a blackbuck hunting case.

An apex court bench headed by Justice S.J Mukhopadhaya issued the notice as a petition by the Rajasthan government came up for hearing.

Salman Khan was convicted in a blackbuck hunting case by a trial court in 2006.

Under British immigration rules, any person convicted for more than four years is not eligible for a visa. Since the actor was convicted for five years, he was denied visa by the UK Embassy.

The passports of Indian convicts are stamped with the word “convict.”

Black buck is a protected animal and its hunting is a punishable offence.

Khan was convicted and sentenced to one-year and five-year prison terms in separate cases of poaching of two Chinkaras at Bhawad and one black buck at Ghoda Farm (Mathania) on the intervening night of September 26—27, 1998 and September 28-29, 1998 respectively.

The actor had approached the High Court in 2007 seeking a stay on his conviction by a trial court so that he could file a fresh application for a British visa.

Besides Khan, actors Saif Ali Khan, Sonali Bendre, Tabu and Neelam were accused of poaching near Jodhpur during the shooting of the film Hum Saath Saath Hain.