Salman Khan cleared in hit-and-run incident
The Bombay High Court has acquitted Bollywood Superstar Salman Khan off charges over a 2002 hit and run case.
The court said the prosecution had failed to establish that the actor was driving and was drunk at the time of the accident.
Thursday’s verdict is the latest twist in a case that began 13 years ago when Khan’s Toyota Land Cruiser vehicle veered off the road, killing one man and seriously injuring four others.
“On the basis of evidence submitted by the prosecution, Salman can not be convicted”, a BHC judge said while announcing the verdict. The family of another injured Abdul Sheikh, whose legs were crushed under the actor’s vehicle, also voiced dissatisfaction over Bombay High Court judgement and demanded adequate compensation and allowance from the film star.
The Bandra metropolitan magistrate’s court, in October, framed charges against Salman Khan under section 304 (rash and negligent driving) and other relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code.
The Bombay High Court acquited of all charges Salman Khan his ladylove Iulia really broke down and while all his supporters and followers observed this verdict.
Salman who is busy shooting for his upcoming movie “Sultan” appeared in the court on Thursday with sister Alvira, before justice A R Joshi, who concluded and adjudicated on the retrial.
But Mr Joshi said the court had erred in accepting the testimony of the prosecution’s key witness.
Khan’s defense team has insisted that the family’s driver Ashok Singh was behind the wheel at the time of the incident. Case files and original statements from witnesses, too, went missing a year before the May conviction of Khan. The actor has now reportedly withdrawn his appeal in the Supreme Court seeking examination of singer Kamaal Khan as a witness in the 13-year-old case.
Another reason that the Court gave the decision in Salman’s favour was because of the inability of the prosecution to substantiate their case with proper evidences.