Bombay HC Grants Two Days Interim Bail In Hit-And –Run Case
06 May, Miumbai
Giving some respite to Actor Salman Khan, the Bombay High Court today granted two days interim bail to him, who was earlier Wednesday sentenced to five years rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs. 25,000 in the 2002 hit and run case by the Mumbai Sessions Court.
Senior Lawyer Harish Salve argued for Salman Khan before the Bombay high Court Judge Abhay Thipse that someone cannot be put into a jail without a proper court order. The defence stated told the high court that his client has received only operative part of the court order.
The Mumbai Session this morning convicted Salman Khan of killing a homeless man and injuring three others in a 2002 hit-and-run on the charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder and harsh, negligent driving.
Sessions court Judge DW Deshpande while giving a verdict said all the charges against Khan, including culpable homicide not amounting to murder, have been proved. The Judge 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 said that 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 court also observed that the actor was driving without driving license. Khan 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.
The actor, who fought back tears after being convicted, looked calm and composed as the judgement of his conviction was read out to him in the presence of close family members. Bollywood has come out in support of the actor expressing their solidarity with him. Many took to twitter to express their disappointment over the verdict.
Salman dressed in a white shirt and blue jeans, arrived in the court this morning with his sisters, brothers and close 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 were closed at the time of arguments on the quantum of punishment to the actor.
With today’s Sessions Court verdict, the over Rs. 200 crore investment riding on the superstar is likely to take a bit hit. Expressing satisfaction over the quantum of punishment, senior lawyer Abha Singh informed the media that besides the sentence, the court has fined the actor Rs. 25,000.