India's biggest star Salman Khan was convicted of culpable homicide on Wednesday and was sentenced to five years in prison. The judgement came almost 13-years, after the actor was caught in the hit and run case on September 2002, when his swanky Toyota Land Cruiser rammed on the pavement in front of the American Express Bank in Bandra. According to the Indian legal system, Salman Khan can appeal in the higher court, but as of now he might have to immediately go to prison. He is likely to spend some time in the Arthur Road Jail, Mumbai before his lawyers apply for bail.
Salman Khan is one of the leading Indian actors who enjoys a crazy fan following and creates mass hysteria with each of his films. Despite his popularity among his fans, he is also known as the 'bad boy of Bollywood'. Besides the hit and run accident case in 2002, Salman was also involved in the killing of a blackbuck (an endangered specie) in Jodhpur in 1998 while filming the hit family drama Hum
This was the most awaited court
The victims' and their families were given a meagre amount as compensation. After the courtroom debate and several rounds of trial, the court pronounced Khan guilty on all counts, which included rash and negligent driving, and also driving under the influence of alcohol.
The court also rejected the actor's repeated denials over the past decade that he was not behind the wheel and the car was driven by his driver Ashok Singh.
According to eyewitnesses, in the court, Salman had tears in his eyes and his family members broke down when the judge announced the final decision. Khan will now be remanded to police custody and will have to appeal to the high court for bail.
Besides being a famous actor, Salman, 49, is also a philanthropist who has been running a popular charity
He is known for helping the poor and the down-trodden and has also been known for helping the aspiring actors.
The rarity of the case is that justice was meted out to the victims despite the involvement of an A-list celebrity, after more than a decade.