New Delhi: In major setback to Bollywood superstar Salman Khan, a Sessions Court in Mumbai on Wednesday convicted the actor and sentenced him with five years of imprisonment under the culpable homicide not amounting to murder in the 2002 hit-and-run case.
The judgement in the over 12-year-old case, whose trial saw many twists and turns, was delivered by Judge DW Deshpande. The 49-year-old actor along with his family members was present in the courtroom.
Significantly, the court held that Salman was driving under the influence of alcohol and also did not have a driving license.
The court relied upon judgements in Alistair Pereira and Sanjeev RPT Sanjeev Nanda BMW case of Delhi while convicting Salman Khan.
It also asked what he had to say on the verdict to which he denied charges saying he was not driving the car at the time of mishap.
The actor’s mother has been visiting temples for the last few days, family sources said. Salman returned from Jammu and Kashmir where he had been shooting for his home production ‘Bajrangi Bhaijaan’ which is due to release in July.
Earlier, the actor arrived in the evening and spent time with his family at home, the sources added. Judge D W Deshpande has summoned Salman to the sessions court at 11.15 am in connection with the 12-year-old case.
As the court delivered the verdict, Salman had tears in his eyes and stood silently in the dock.
After the conviction, his lawyer began arguments on quantum of punishment in the case.
A tight security blanket was thrown around the court, where Salman’s family including brothers Arbaaz, Sohail and sister Arpita Khan had arrived early this morning ahead of the verdict.
One person was killed and four others were injured on the night of September 28, 2002 in suburban Bandra when Salman’s Toyota Land Cruiser rammed into a Bakery. The victims were sleeping on the pavement when the SUV ran over them.
A Bandra Metropolitan Magistrate, who conducted the trial under lesser charge of rash and negligent driving, which carries a maximum punishment of two years, had in 2012 slapped the more serious offence of culpable homicide and committed the matter to the sessions court.
The popular actor was tried afresh under the harsher charge of culpable homicide not amounting to murder which is punishable with imprisonment upto 10 years.
While the prosecution had insisted that a drunk Khan was driving the Land Cruiser, the actor had claimed that it was his driver Ashok Singh who was behind the wheel. Singh has endorsed the defence’s claim.
