Salman Khan verdict: Actor gets bail hours after being sentenced to five years
Bollywood superstar Salman Khan was today (May 6) granted two-day interim bail by the Bombay High Court in the 2002 hit-and-run case, hours after he was sentenced to five years in jail by a Sessions Court.
Bollywood superstar Salman Khan was today (May 6) granted two-day interim bail by the Bombay High Court in the 2002 hit-and-run case, hours after he was sentenced to five years in jail by a Sessions Court.
The High Court will hear Salman Khan’s appeal on May 8.
Earlier today, he was convicted by a Mumbai sessions court of culpable homicide not amounting to murder in the 2002 hit and run case with all charges proved against him and can face upto 10 years in jail.
The judgement in the over 12-year-old case, whose trial saw many twists and turns, was delivered by Judge D W Deshpande where the 49-year-old actor and his family were present.
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 Nikhil Nanda BMW case of Delhi while convicting Salman.
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.
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 Salman 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.
The defence had also argued that police had not obtained finger prints from the steering wheel to find out who was driving the vehicle.
Prosecutor Pradeep Gharat has alleged that Khan was driving the vehicle after consuming ‘Bacardi rum’ at a bar, a charge denied by the actor, who said he had just a glass of water. Nurullah Mehboob Sharif was killed in the accident in which Kalim Mohammed Pathan, Munna Malai Khan, Abdullah Rauf Shaikh and Muslim Shaikh had been injured.
Local activist Santosh Daundkar had filed an application accusing the police of perjury (giving false evidence under oath) by examining a wrong set of doctors to delay the trial by three years.
He had also questioned why singer Kamaal Khan, who was in the vehicle at the time of the accident, was not being examined by the police.
The actor has been charged under IPC sections 304 part II (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) which attracts upto 10 years in prison; 279 (rash and negligent driving) which stipulates six months jail; 337 & 338 (causing hurt by act endangering life and causing grievous hurt respectively) with punishment up to two years, and 427 (mischief causing damage to property) with maximum punishment of upto two years.
Under Motor Vehicles Act, Khan has been charged under Sections 34(a), (b) read with 181 (driving vehicle in contravention of rules) and 185 (driving at great speed after consuming alcohol).
He has also been charged under provisions of Bombay Prohibition Act relating to driving under influence of alcohol which provides for maximum six months’ jail.
Earlier today, Salman, wearing blue jeans and a white shirt, reached the civil and sessions court in South Mumbai from his Bandra residence with a posse of bodyguards in a white car to a jam-packed audience outside amid protests by a Tamil group (Ilangar Tamil Kazagam) demanding maximum punishment for the actor who had supported Mahinda Rajapakse during the Sri Lankan Presidential campaign.
Source:: Indian Express