Salman Khan will not go to jail in the 2002 hit and run case, the Bombay High Court said today after hearing all witnesses and examining evidence produced. The high court overturned a lower court's order and acquitted the actor of all charges in the case as it observed that there were not enough evidence to charge him.
The court, which had been reading out the verdict in the 13-year-old case since Monday, said the prosecution failed to establish that the actor was driving the car at the time of the accident or that he was under the influence of alcohol.
The court also observed that prosecution had failed to establish all charges against Salman, who was convicted and awarded 5-year jail term by a trial court on May 6. The actor had then challenged the lower court's verdict in the high court.
Twitter was not that pleased:
So Salman Khan gets away. Like the judge in Jolly LLB says: "The courts act on evidence, not truth" #SalmanKhan
— Madhavan Narayanan (@madversity) December 10, 2015
Finally we know ! The car was drunk . #SalmanVerdict
— Anjana Om Kashyap (@anjanaomkashyap) December 10, 2015
A drunk man mows down innocent pavement dwellers, runs away like a coward, starts a campaign 'Being Human' and is let free #SalmanVerdict
— Rana Ayyub (@RanaAyyub) December 10, 2015
It took 13 years for trail court to nail @BeingSalmanKhan & with in six months High Court is all set to free him. #SalmanVerdict #Bollywood
— AnileshMahajan?????? (@anileshmahajan) December 10, 2015
Court praises Salman for sending those on the footpath to heaven thro' fast channel! #SalmanVerdict
— vkishore (@vkishore) December 10, 2015
Bombay Court verdict proves India had a 'driverless'car much before Google invented one! #SalmanVerdict #NoOneDriveTheCar
— ramesh sharma (@rameshfilms) December 10, 2015
As @Joshi_Aar asks, if the car was driving itself, what was the chinkara doing? #SalmanVerdict
— Subir Ghosh (@write2kill) December 10, 2015
people sleeping on footpath were drunk , rolled down under someone's car , Bhai was eating badapav near by #SalmanVerdict
— Intolerable Goswami? (@thebakwaashour) December 10, 2015
Register a case againt Landrover for selling a driver less automatic car to Salman in 2001. #SalmanVerdict
— Jin (@Ajinkya0406) December 10, 2015
Indias fabulous if you are rich, powerful, popular & politically relevant. You always get benefit of doubt & cant be touched #SalmanVerdict
— sushant sareen (@sushantsareen) December 10, 2015
I hope they file cases against those dead for coming sharply at Salman's Khan car and killing themselves on purpose. #SalmanVerdict
— Ankur Bhardwaj (@Bhayankur) December 10, 2015
The car was possesed! Are the Bhats listening? Next Horror flick script here! #SalmanVerdict https://t.co/OycMvKiwtz
— Shakthi (@v_shakthi) December 10, 2015
Now there will be one more court, FB and Twitter for #SalmanVerdict's reactions.
— Vivek Rabara (@VivekRabara) December 10, 2015
Salman Khan hit and run verdict: The SUV gets lifetime jail sentence for automatically driving over the people sleeping on the street.
— Mihir Bijur (@MihirBijur) December 10, 2015
Salman Khan acquitted: Many high profile cases have ended this way due to lack of evidence since 1948. Salman not the first one.
— S l Habib (@irfhabib) December 10, 2015