Mumbai, Dec 10: The Bombay High Court on Thursday acquitted Bollywood star Salman Khan of all charges in the 2002 hit-and-run case in which he was convicted and sentenced to five years imprisonment by a sessions court.
While acquitting the 49-year-old actor in a jampacked courtroom, Justice A R Joshi said, “The appeal is allowed. The trial court’s verdict is quashed and set aside. Salman is acquitted of all charges.”
On hearing the verdict, Salman broke down.
Justice Joshi, who started dictating the verdict on Monday, said the prosecution failed to establish its case against the appellant accused (Salman) on all charges.
On September 28, 2002, Salman’s car had rammed into a bakery shop in suburban Bandra. One person was killed and four others were injured in the mishap.
Lawyers, litigants and many others had gathered in and around the court to have a glimpse of Salman as he came rushing from a studio in Karjat on the outskirts of Mumbai where he was shooting.
The judge said the burden is on the prosecution to establish the guilt of the accused and this needs to be done beyond reasonable doubt.
There are various shortcomings by the prosecution like not recording evidence of necessary and important witnesses and omissions and contradictions in the evidence of injured witnesses, which definitely create a doubt about the involvement of Salman for offences for which he has been charged, the court said.
On the basis of such evidence, Salman cannot be convicted, it said.
