Salman Khan Cleared in Hit and Run Case

Salman Khan’s conviction for a 2002 hit-and-run case has been overturned by Mumbai’s high court.

In May, a lower court convicted the Bollywood star of culpable homicide and sentenced him to five years in jail for driving over and killing a man sleeping on a pavement.

However, the appeals judge ruled there was not enough evidence.

Salman Khan is one of Bollywood’s biggest stars, appearing in more than 80 Hindi movies, and has a huge fan following.

It was only when the judge insisted that Salman Khan must be present before the verdict was read out, that the actor hurried to the court in south Mumbai on December 10.

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“The appeal is allowed and the decision of the trial court is quashed and set aside. Salman Khan is acquitted of all charges,” AFP quoted the Bombay high court judge Anil Ramchandra Joshi as saying.

The prosecution “failed to establish [the charges] beyond reasonable doubt”, the judge added.

Salman Khan, surrounded by his family members, broke down after hearing the verdict, the Press Trust of India reported.

Today’s verdict is the latest twist in a case that began 13 years ago when Salman Khan’s Toyota Land Cruiser car veered off the road, killing one man and seriously injuring four others.

During his trial in the lower court, Salman Khan had argued that his driver had been behind the wheel, but the judge said it was the actor who had been driving under the influence of alcohol.

Now the high court has said that key evidence – including testimony from a policeman who has since died – was not reliable.

The prosecution is likely to challenge the verdict, reports say.