May 6, 2015 | By Parmjeet Singh
Mumbai: A sessions court in Mumbai today convicted Hindi film actor Salman Khan for culpable homicide not amounting to murder (under section 304 of the Indian Penal Code). Court found Salman Khan guilty of killing a homeless man in a 2002 hit-and-run crash reportedly after a night out drinking.
“This calls for a 10-yr imprisonment. What do u have to say?” the Judge reportedly asked the defence lawyer after holding Salman Khan guilty in much publicised Hit and Run Case.
Salman Khan was accused of running over five persons sleeping on a pavement outside a bakery in Bandra in his white Toyota Land Cruiser early on September 28, 2002, killing one and injuring four. He was allegedly under the influence of alcohol.
Sessions judge DW Deshpande pronounced the judgement amid tight security around the court where only lawyers, media and court staff were allowed.
The actor has said he was not at the wheel at the time of the accident. While the prosecution has insisted that a drunk Salman Khan was driving the SUV that ran over the victims sleeping on the pavement, the actor said his driver Ashok Singh was behind the wheel.
The prosecution further said the actor ran away from the scene of the crime.
The defence argued that police had not obtained fingerprints from the steering wheel to find out who was driving the vehicle.
Salman Khan’s lawyers contested the prosecution and said he had been drinking water all evening. They also said the man was killed during an operation to move the car, rather than in the crash, when the bumper fell off and landed on him.
The surprise element in the trial came when Khan’s driver Ashok Singh came to the court after 12 years and deposed he was at the wheel when the accident occurred. Singh said the car’s front left tyre burst, making steering and braking difficult.
Today the court found him guilty on all counts, including the charge of Culpable Homicide not amounting to murder under section 304 of IPC.
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Related Topics: Bollywood