Bollywood star Salman Khan, known for his bulging biceps and off-camera temper tantrums, faces jail this week if convicted of drunkenly driving over sleeping homeless men 12 years ago, killing one of them.
Khan, star of blockbusters Bodyguard and Dabangg, is accused of losing control of his SUV after a night of drinking rum and cocktails at an upmarket bar in Mumbai in 2002 and fleeing the scene.
After years of court hearings and legal hold-ups, a judge in Mumbai is on Wednesday finally expected to hand down his verdict on the 49-year-old actor on charges of culpable homicide.
Khan faces up to 10 years in prison if found guilty following a trial whose every twist has been followed by the country's media.
Public prosecutor Pradeep Gharat said he had presented the case as best he could to the Bombay sessions court judge, adding "we can only hope but cannot predict" a conviction.
"I am 100% confident that I have done my job and duty to the best of my ability," Gharat said on Monday.
Khan pleaded not guilty at trial, saying his driver was responsible for the late night crash in which his Toyota Land Cruiser mounted the pavement where five men were sleeping outside a bakery in the upmarket suburb of Bandra West.
A constable attached to Khan's security detail said in his statement to police that the drunk actor lost control of the car while driving at about 90 kilometres an hour.
"The people were sleeping on the footpath. Salman and (his cousin) Kamaal ran away from the spot," the constable, who died in 2007 of tuberculosis, said.
One of the sleeping labourers injured in the accident said in his statement that "Salman was so drunk he fell. He stood but he fell again and then he... ran away."
But Khan's lawyers said the action and romantic comedy star had in fact been drinking water all evening and had climbed out of the driver's seat after the accident because the passenger side door had been damaged.
They also said the homeless man was killed during an operation to move the car, rather than the crash itself, when the bumper fell off and landed on him.
Finally, last month, his driver took the stand and said he crashed after the front left tyre burst, making steering and braking difficult.
Khan, star of blockbusters Bodyguard and Dabangg, is accused of losing control of his SUV after a night of drinking rum and cocktails at an upmarket bar in Mumbai in 2002 and fleeing the scene.
After years of court hearings and legal hold-ups, a judge in Mumbai is on Wednesday finally expected to hand down his verdict on the 49-year-old actor on charges of culpable homicide.
Khan faces up to 10 years in prison if found guilty following a trial whose every twist has been followed by the country's media.
Public prosecutor Pradeep Gharat said he had presented the case as best he could to the Bombay sessions court judge, adding "we can only hope but cannot predict" a conviction.
"I am 100% confident that I have done my job and duty to the best of my ability," Gharat said on Monday.
Khan pleaded not guilty at trial, saying his driver was responsible for the late night crash in which his Toyota Land Cruiser mounted the pavement where five men were sleeping outside a bakery in the upmarket suburb of Bandra West.
A constable attached to Khan's security detail said in his statement to police that the drunk actor lost control of the car while driving at about 90 kilometres an hour.
"The people were sleeping on the footpath. Salman and (his cousin) Kamaal ran away from the spot," the constable, who died in 2007 of tuberculosis, said.
One of the sleeping labourers injured in the accident said in his statement that "Salman was so drunk he fell. He stood but he fell again and then he... ran away."
But Khan's lawyers said the action and romantic comedy star had in fact been drinking water all evening and had climbed out of the driver's seat after the accident because the passenger side door had been damaged.
They also said the homeless man was killed during an operation to move the car, rather than the crash itself, when the bumper fell off and landed on him.
Finally, last month, his driver took the stand and said he crashed after the front left tyre burst, making steering and braking difficult.
Here’s what happens next:
If Salman Khan is convicted for less than three years, he can approach the Sessions court for bail. If he is convicted more than three years, he has to approach the Bombay HC.
The biggest huddle, HC goes on vacation next week. So the defence has an herculean task to file the application and get it on board for hearing. Salman Khan can apply to the Holiday bench but its upon the bench to take it up or not.
HERE ARE THE LIVE UPDATES ON SALMAN KHAN HIT-AND-RUN CASE VERDICT:
11.57 am: Judge asks Salman Khan, “What do you have to say? Maximum sentence of 10 years?” Salman Khan says, “You are the judge; whatever you say is correct.”
M N Singh, the police commissioner says, “This was an open and shut case. There was never a doubt in my mind that he was driving the vehicle. We had enough evidence against him.”
11.54 am: Defence while arguing for a lesser sentence says Salman Khan is ready to pay compensation.
Image Source: www.google.co.in
.gif)
