hindustantimes :
The Bombay high court on Thursday acquitted Bollywood star Salman Khan of all charges in the 2002 hit-and-run case, quashing a trial court verdict that held him guilty of driving his Toyota Land Cruiser over people sleeping on a Bandra footpath.
Justice AR Joshi said the 49-year-old actor cannot be convicted because the “prosecution has failed to prove the charges against Khan on all counts”. Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said his government will decide on “further course of action” after examining the high court judgment.
Salman, who was sitting with a straight face along with sister Alvira and manager Reshma, reportedly broke down in tears once the verdict was read. He left the courtroom after the judge directed him to furnish a fresh surety bond of Rs 25,000 and asked police to return his passport.
The actor had appealed against the sessions court’s May order that delivered a five-year jail sentence after convicting him of culpable homicide
not amounting to murder for running over five people on a pavement, one of whom died later, in Bandra West on September 28, 2002.
Justice Joshi observed he cannot be convicted on the basis of evidence submitted by the prosecution. He also pointed out “various shortcomings in the investigation and prosecution’s evidence”.
“Doubt arises over involvement of appellant on charges … Investigation was conducted in a faulty manner with scant regard to procedure,” he said after seeking Salman’s presence in court before pronouncing the final verdict. On Wednesday, the high court opened a window of hope for the popular actor when it had observed that the prosecution had not convincingly proved he was drunk or at the wheel of his SUV when the vehicle ran over five people in Bandra West on September 28, 2002.
The court said on Thursday the prosecution failed to prove the actor was dunk on the night of the accident.
The Bombay high court on Thursday acquitted Bollywood star Salman Khan of all charges in the 2002 hit-and-run case, quashing a trial court verdict that held him guilty of driving his Toyota Land Cruiser over people sleeping on a Bandra footpath.
Justice AR Joshi said the 49-year-old actor cannot be convicted because the “prosecution has failed to prove the charges against Khan on all counts”. Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said his government will decide on “further course of action” after examining the high court judgment.
Salman, who was sitting with a straight face along with sister Alvira and manager Reshma, reportedly broke down in tears once the verdict was read. He left the courtroom after the judge directed him to furnish a fresh surety bond of Rs 25,000 and asked police to return his passport.
The actor had appealed against the sessions court’s May order that delivered a five-year jail sentence after convicting him of culpable homicide
not amounting to murder for running over five people on a pavement, one of whom died later, in Bandra West on September 28, 2002.
Justice Joshi observed he cannot be convicted on the basis of evidence submitted by the prosecution. He also pointed out “various shortcomings in the investigation and prosecution’s evidence”.
“Doubt arises over involvement of appellant on charges … Investigation was conducted in a faulty manner with scant regard to procedure,” he said after seeking Salman’s presence in court before pronouncing the final verdict. On Wednesday, the high court opened a window of hope for the popular actor when it had observed that the prosecution had not convincingly proved he was drunk or at the wheel of his SUV when the vehicle ran over five people in Bandra West on September 28, 2002.
The court said on Thursday the prosecution failed to prove the actor was dunk on the night of the accident.
