Bringing to an end the 12-year-old trial against actor Salman Khan, Judge D W Deshpande on Wednesday sentenced the actor to five years in jail.
The judge told Salman that he was intoxicated when he was driving and all charges against him have been proven.
The court will now order him to be taken into custody and sent to the nearby jail ( in this case the Arthur Road jail) until the Maharashtra Prisons authorities decide on which jail Khan should be lodged in.
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The actor’s defence had earlier sought for a lenient sentence citing a stress condition that Salman is suffering from. The defence argued that jail time would aggravate his condition and stop him from doing community service through the Being Human organisation.As the sentence is for more than three years, Salman would have to approach the Bombay High Court for bail.
However, the biggest hurdle is that the High Court goes on vacation next week. So the defense has an herculean task to file the application and get it on board for hearing. Khan can apply to the Holiday bench but its upon the bench to take it up or not.
Khan is accused of running over five persons sleeping on a platform outside a bakery in Bandra, in his white Land Cruiser, early September 28, 2002, killing one of them. Khan, according to the prosecution, was driving the car in an inebriated condition. The 49-year-old actor now stands guilty of culpable homicide.
Due to his imprisonment, a number of the actor’s projects will suffer. Here’s a look at what’s at stake:
1. Salman Khan is said to have Rs 200 crores riding on him and film projects extending right up to 2017.
2. Salman is currently shooting for Sooraj Barjatya’s ‘Prem Ratan Dhan Payo’ opposite Sonam Kapoor which is scheduled to release this year.
3. Another major current project of Salman’s that is also slated to have a 2015 release is Kabir Khan’s ‘Bajrangi Bhaijaan’. And its first look was to be released later this month.
4. Both films are safely expected to draw in atleast 100 crore each.
5. Salman Khan is also reportedly going to work in sequels to three films – Part two of 2005 hit ‘No Entry’ titled as ‘No Entry Mein Entry’, a third installment of hit franchise ‘Dabangg’ and sequel to ‘Kick’.
6. Director Karan Johar had also confirmed Salman Khan as the lead in much-talked about ‘Shuddhi’.
