Salman Khan's five-year sentence suspended

The actor's appeal is pending in the high court and will be heard in July


Web Desk May 08, 2015
Salman Khan. PHOTO: FILE

As Salman Khan's two-day interim bail came to an end Friday, it was decided by the Bombay High Court to suspend the actor's five-year sentence while his appeal was pending in the high court, Express News reported.

Lawyers of 49-year-old Bollywood megastar argued at the High Court that their client's conviction should be overturned.

Judge Abhay Thipsay ruled the sentence would be suspended until an appeal was heard and set new bail terms for the B-Town superstar.

"The defence has raised pertinent points about the evidence presented by the prosecution which need consideration," the judge said.

"Also, the points based on which the culpable homicide conviction was passed needs examination," he added.

Salman would have to file for a fresh plea, the appeal is set to be heard in July. Till then he has to surrender his passport to the police, however, he will be able to travel abroad with prior permission, NDTV reported.

During the session, Judge Abhay questioned the court "why should his rights suffer when the appeal is still being heard?"

He further made comments pertaining to a notional custody, claims NDTV.

Read: Salman Khan sentenced to five years in prison in hit-and-run case

This put Salman's defence in an encouraging position as they awaited the decision of whether his bail would be extended or whether he would go to jail.

Further, the judge asked the prosecutor why the case should not be treated only as a case of rash driving. He was also reported to have told the public prosecutor that a sentence under seven years could be suspended, reported The Times of India.

He said, "It is not a case where the applicant is likely to abscond and both parties have no objection to hearing an appeal in a fast manner so the sentence is suspended until an appeal is disposed."

Following the bail verdict, Salman's lawyer Amit Desai said, "The prosecution has not established beyond doubt that it was my client who was driving that night."

As news of the sentence being suspended was announced, scores of fans were seen outside Salman's residence blocking roads and creating chaos.

It was further reported that both Ajay Devgan and Anupam Kher arrived at his residence to offer moral support prior to the decision being announced. Soon after, celebrities were spotted heading to Salman's apartment. He was not present during the bail verdict, his lawyers and sister, Alvira represented him in court.

PHOTO: NDTV

Read: Salman Khan yet to receive regular bail

The Kick star was handed a five-year sentence by a Mumbai sessions court on Wednesday, and found him guilty of all eight charges pressed against him, including culpable homicide in the hit-and-run case.

News of the suspended sentence was a relief for Salman Khan's friends, family and fans and celebratory tweets soon followed.

https://twitter.com/Ime_n_mySalman/status/596571440305995776

https://twitter.com/vishal002/status/596571852224524288

https://twitter.com/beastoftraal/status/596572944203145216

https://twitter.com/sharmarishabh/status/596573938945167360

https://twitter.com/Ace_Of_Pace/status/596578093474533376

https://twitter.com/Parth_Dil_Se/status/596571742245556225

https://twitter.com/ieEntertainment/status/596578258583326720

https://twitter.com/drindrajeetrai/status/596578467904229376

COMMENTS (25)

Mona | 9 years ago | Reply And so people go (again) and wail about the injustice of Indian prosecution system. And that a star is able to buy his freedom by guilding the right hands. Nonsense. Salman Khan hired a good lawyer (and he has every right to do so). Said lawyer points out in front of the court what every simple police inspector should be able to recognise: that the infamous 'hit and run'-case spots as many holes as a piece of Swiss cheese. Evidence not being taken into consideration (or ruined, f. E. by storing a blood sample somewhere in a police station without cooling it), witnesses not being heard or their statements not properly written down - this is not neat police work, this is a piece of silly kindergarden. The true scandal is not that the verdict was suspended. That was the only right thing to do. The scandal is that it took the system 13 years to find a verdict and then realizing that it should better have done its homework.
Timorlane | 9 years ago | Reply ET Please while u're devoting much space for this filmy hero Kindly also put at least one news story on this plastic hero's former police guard Mr. ravindra Patil who is the real hero, who stood fast against all the pressure and temptations and testified against this cardboard dabang that it was he who rammed over poor homeless people killing Noor ullah Khan. Ravindra Patil lost his job and died in abject poverty and misery for his veracity and courage. A salute to you Sir from Pakistan. RIP.
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