Salman Khan. PHOTO: FILE
Bollywood superstar Salman Khan was sentenced Wednesday to five years in prison for killing a homeless man with his SUV in a 2002 hit-and-run after a night out drinking at an upmarket bar.
Judge DW Deshpande found Salman guilty of culpable homicide and other charges for driving his Land Cruiser into a group of homeless men sleeping rough in suburban Mumbai, rejecting the actor's claim his driver was to blame.
“After going through the arguments put forth by both sides, I have come to the conclusion that five years is proper punishment,” Deshpande told the packed sessions court in Mumbai.
Salman has always denied being behind the wheel, and the conviction and sentence are likely to hit the career of one of the Indian movie industry’s biggest box-office stars.
The 49-year-old looked stunned and tired as the sentence was read out, sinking into his chair as his family gathered around, according to an AFP reporter in the court.
He was later granted bail till Friday, while he is also expected to appeal.
The sentence had been keenly awaited both by his legion of fans and by Bollywood studios, who stand to lose millions of dollars if they have to cancel filming for movies for which he has been signed up.
The sentence sparked a storm on social media, with Bollywood celebrities taking to Twitter in support of Salman.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 7th, 2015.
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