Bollywood star Salman Khan sentenced to 5 years for hit-and-run
Posted May 6, 2015 6:58 am.
Last Updated May 6, 2015 10:18 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
A court in India’s showbiz capital Mumbai sentenced Bollywood star Salman Khan to five years in prison on Wednesday for the death of a homeless man in a hit-and-run accident, potentially derailing several big movie projects.
The Mumbai court upheld prosecution charges that Khan was driving under the influence of alcohol and lost control of his car, ramming it into a bakery in the 2002 accident. One man sleeping on the pavement was killed and four people were injured.
The 49-year-old actor had denied being behind the wheel, in spite of several witnesses testifying against him.
“The accused has been found guilty and the court has sentenced him to jail for five years under section 304 (ii) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC),” said public prosecutor, Pradeep Gharat. He added, “Our arguments under the other sections have been proved in the court. We are yet to get a copy of the judgement but he is guilty of all charges”.
Khan has also been found guilty under IPC sections 279 (rash and negligent driving), 337 and 338 (causing hurt by act endangering life and causing grievous hurt, respectively) and 427 (mischief causing damage to property) and also under various sections of the Motor Vehicles Act.
In March, Khan’s driver Ashok Singh testified in a court that he, and not the Bollywood star, was driving the SUV at the time of the incident.
But the court found Singh’s statement to be false.
“The court did not accept Ashok Singh’s statement. From the beginning of the hearing, the judge stressed that Salman Khan was driving the car, that he was intoxicated. So the court cancelled Singh’s statement and said Khan was guilty,” said another lawyer in the case, Abha Singh.
Khan, who has delivered some of Bollywood’s highest-grossing films in recent years can appeal in a higher court.
He is one of Bollywood’s most bankable stars. His next film, Bajrangi Bhaijaan, is scheduled to release on Muslim holiday Eid in July this year.
Khan’s image as an action-hero with a heart of gold appeals to Indian audiences across the board. Over the past five years, films such as Dabangg, Dabangg 2, Bodyguard, Ek Tha Tiger, and Kick have found place in Bollywood’s list of highest-grossing films.
This is not the first time an Indian movie star faces time in prison. Khan spent nearly a week in prison in 2007 for shooting an endangered gazelle during a Rajasthan hunting trip in 1998. He is also out on bail for killing protected antelopes.