BY S VENKAT NARAYAN
NEW DELHI, May 6: A court in Mumbai on Wednesday sentenced Bollywood superstar Salman Khan to five years in prison for drunken driving and killing a man in a hit-and-run accident 13 years ago. Four other men sleeping on the pavement that fateful night were also injured.
pic: facebook.com/BeingSalmanKhan
The actor’s lawyers successfully persuaded the Bombay High Court to grant him interim bail till May 8, when it will hear his appeal.
The sentencing drove down shares of firms connected to the actor and, if upheld, will derail several major film projects in the pipeline of the world’s most prolific movie industry. An estimated sum of over two billion Indian rupees has been invested in seven films, in which he is starring as hero.
The Mumbai court convicted Khan, 49, of culpable homicide on charges that he lost control of his Toyota Landcruiser when driving under the influence of alcohol in 2002, and rammed into a group of people sleeping on a pavement.
(Many poor people from nearby villages flock to Mumbai to make a living as daily wagers and sleep on the footpaths of the tropical metropolis because they have no place to go to).
Khan, instantly recognisable by his muscular build, denied being behind the wheel, despite the testimony of several witnesses. In March, the actor’s driver said he had driven, while Khan rode in the passenger seat.
In his verdict, Judge DW Deshpande said Khan had in fact been driving the car even though he had no driving licence. Khan can appeal against the judgment in the High Court in Mumbai. If he fails there, he can go to the Supreme Court too.
As the judge delivered his verdict, Khan openly wept in the court. Several of his relatives, including two sisters, were also seen weeping.
“Finally, justice has been done,” said Singh, a petitioner in the case. “The law has been upheld.” The decision dispelled the idea that India is a country where people with money and power can commit murder and get away with it, Singh added.
Khan, one of Bollywood’s most bankable stars, along with Shah Rukh Khan and Aamir Khan, has drawn viewers to some of the industry’s highest-grossing films.
His portrayals of working class characters hold broad appeal for young audiences across India and abroad, where Indian movies are popular.
The news of Khan’s sentence led to a fall of 5% in shares of movie production and distribution firm Eros International, and a drop of 4% in shares of textile company Mandhana Industries. Khan is associated with both.
pic via ~ courtesy of: twitter.com/BBCWorld
Eros had acquired global distribution rights for two of Khan’s upcoming movies, while Mandhana worked with his foundation to design and distribute the “Being Human” clothing range.
The conviction is not Khan’s first brush with the law. In 2007, he was jailed for nearly a week for shooting an endangered gazelle on a hunting trip in the desert state of Rajasthan. He is also on bail in a case over the killing of protected antelopes.
Two of Khan’s big films were lined up for release this year — director Kabir Khan’s “Bajrangi Bhaijaan” and “Prem Ratan Dhan Paayo”, directed by Sooraj Barjatya.
Courtesy:The Island