Bollywood Actor Salman Khan Convicted In Hit & Run Case , Gets 5-Year Imprisonment
06 May, Mumbai
The Mumbai Sessions Court Wednesday sentenced Superstar Salman Khan to five years imprisonment in the 2002 hit and run case wherein one pavement dweller was killed and four others were injured.
The sentence was pronounced in Sessions Court Judge Deshpande’s chamber. The court pronounced Khan guilty and convicted him for IPC Section 304 II (culpable homicide not amounting to murder).
Salman was taken to custody by the Mumbai Police to lodge him in Arthur Road Jail. His Lawyer would move bail petition in favour of Salman in the Mumbai High Court Thursday
The court relied upon judgements in Alistair Pereira and Sanjeev Nanda BMW case of Delhi while convicting Khan. With this verdict, the over Rs. 200 crore investment riding on the actor is likely to take a bit hit.
Mumbai Sessions Court Judge D W Deshpande while giving verdict in the case said all charges pressed against Khan under IPC Section 279 (rash driving), 337 (causing minor injuries), 338 (causing major injuries) and 427 (negligence) have been proved.
The Judge while dismissing defence lawyers argument said it is most unlikely that the driver Ashok Singh was driving the SUV at the time of accident on the night of September 28, 2002 and that Khan himself was driving the vehicle under the influence of alcohol. The court also observed that the actor was driving without driving license.
The judge later asked Khan as what he has to say in his defence, to which the actor denied charges and said he was not driving the SUV.
Salman Khan’s lawyer had pleaded with the judge for a sentence of less than 3 years in the case and a fine keeping in mind Salman Khan’s involvement in humanitarian work for the past many years. Bollywood too has come out in support of the actor expressing their solidarity with him.
Salman arrived in court this morning with sisters, brothers and friends. A tight security blanket was thrown around the court and court premises to keep fans at bay and avoid overcrowding.
Only media persons, lawyers and the court staff were allowed inside the court. Despite this, court and premises saw ruckus and confusion among policemen and media persons following which the doors of court room at the time of arguments on the quantum of punishment to the actor.