Fans celebrate as star is given bail

NEW DELHI - A court on Saturday granted bail to Bollywood superstar Salman Khan while he appeals his conviction on charges of poaching rare deer in a wildlife preserve two decades ago, a welcome development for thousands of fans who greeted their hero with songs and firecrackers.

Khan was convicted on Thursday and sentenced to five years in prison and was immediately sent to jail. On Saturday, Judge Ravindra Kumar Joshi ordered him to sign a surety bond of 50,000 rupees ($770) before he was set free from the jail in Jodhpur, a town in western India.

Hundreds of Khan's overjoyed fans danced outside the courtroom and chanted "We love you, Salman". His sisters, Alvira and Arpita, were present during the hearing.