A Mumbai session's court on Wednesday found Bollywood actor Salman Khan guilty of culpable homicide and sentenced him to five years imprisonment in connection with the 2002 hit-and-run case, where he ran over a homeless person and injured four others.
"Salman Khan has been found guilty and has been sentenced to five years' imprisonment. He is currently still in court, because his lawyer waiting for the order that will enable him to appeal in the High
Court. With his sentence, he can be arrested straight from the court. He has also been fined Rs 25,000. This is over and above all his offences under the Motor Vehicles Act, for example of his driving
under the influence of alcohol. If he is not successful in appealing in the High Court today, he will be taken to jail today," the chief petitioner, Abha Singh told the media.
Singh further stated that the court had dismissed the testimony of Salman's driver, who had claimed that he was behind the wheel during the incident.
"The court dismissed the testimony of driver Ashok Singh, with the judge stating quite clearly that Salman Khan was the person who was driving the vehicle," she said.
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"The biggest reason why Salman Khan was found guilty was because he was intoxicated while he was behind the wheel," she added.
The petitioner also said that Salman's lawyers had attempted to win him a lighter sentence, in view of his charitable work.
"It was also noted that Salman Khan has been undertaking social work under the 'Being Human' banner and has raised around Rs.42 crore for the health and education of underprivileged children. A medical certificate stating that he suffers from neurological problems was also kept before the court, in an attempt to give him a lighter sentence," she said.
"I am very happy that this case has been heard and the punishment has been pronounced. Today's judgment has made it clear that no one is above the law. The law has been upheld. The message that had been going out was that India's laws were soft and that if you have money, you could commit a crime and get away with it. Today's judgment has made it clear that nobody is above the law," she added.
Salman Khan's Toyota Land Cruiser ran over five people in the Bandra area of Mumbai on September 28, 2002. One person was killed on the spot, three others were grievously injured while the fifth escaped with minor injuries.