Bollywood star Salman Khan was on December 10, 2015 acquitted of all charges in the 2002 hit-and-run case by the Bombay High Court which set aside the sessions court’s May order sentencing him to a five-year imprisonment.
One person was killed and four were injured after Salman's SUV ran over the stairs of the American Express Laundry in the intervening night of September 27 and 28, 2002.
Salman Khan in the eye of the storm
Other controversies
- » Blackbuck case: He was accused of poaching two Blackbucks in 1998 near Jodhpur during the shooting of 'Hum Saath Saath Hain'. He was sentenced to one year prison.
- » Comments about 26/11 attacks: “It was the elite that was targeted this time. So they panicked. Then they got up and spoke about it. My question is why not before? Attacks have happened in trains and small towns too, but no one talked about it so much,” Salman said in 2010. He claimed that Pakistan cannot be held responsible. He later apologised.
- » Aishwarya Rai in the picture: After their presence in ‘Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam’, the couple’s relationship was in the eye of the storm. After they broke up in 2002, Aishwarya alleged that the actor harassed her, as he was unable to come to terms with the ending of their relationship. A case was also registered by Aishwarya’s parents.
- » Brawl with SRK: In 2008, the two actors allegedly got into a fistfight during a party. The relationship between the two stars has never been the same since then. However, the two actors got back together on a good foot in an Iftar party and SRK attended Salman’s sister’s wedding. SRK visited Salman hours before the verdict on hit-and-run case.
- » Vivek Oberoi’s allegations: The actor accused Salman of "threatening to kill him, abusing and indulging in character assassination." It was rumoured that Vivek Oberoi and Aishwarya Rai were in a relationship.
>The case against Salman Khan
Why it is important to examine the actor’s acquittal after a trial court had found him guilty, and to revisit the testimony of the principal witness.
>How the hit-and-run case unfolded
From initial charges to the final verdict, here's a timeline of the case that spanned over a massive 13 years.
Bollywood star Salman Khan was on December 10, 2015 acquitted of all charges in the 2002 hit-and-run case by the Bombay High Court which set aside the sessions court’s May order sentencing him to a five-year imprisonment. Following is the chronology of events.
September 28, 2002: Salman Khan’s white Toyata Land Cruiser crashes into the pavements near American Express Bakery at Hill Road at Bandra, killing one person and injuring four others.
Salman’s blood samples taken.
He is arrested by Bandra police station, granted bail.
Salman booked under provisions of IPC, Motor Vehicles Act, 1988 and Bombay Prohibition Act, 1949
2002
October: Mumcbai Police invoke section 302-II of IPC, which is culpable homicide not amounting to murder which attracts a punishment of jail term of 10 years.
October 7 — Salman Khan surrenders before Bandra police station
October 21 — Mumbai Police files chargesheet in Bandra magistrate court
October 24 — Salman Khan granted bail
2003
March — Salman Khan challenges application of 302-II in Mumbai Sessions court
May — Sessions court rejects the plea, asks Magistrate court to frame charges
June — Salman Khan moves Bombay High Court, which opines that section 302-II not application in the case.
October — Maharashtra Government challenges Bombay HC order in Supreme Court
December — SC rules that the magistrate court may decide whether 302-II could be applied.
2006
May — The Sessions Court, on May 6, 2015, found him guilty of all charges in the 2002 hit-and-run case.
October — Magistrate court frame charges against Salman Khan
2007
May — Chemical analysis report suggests Salman Khan was drunk
October 3 — Police bodyguard Ravindra Patil, who filed the first FIR dies of TB 2011
October — Prosecution demands Salman Khan must be tried under harsher sections 2012
March 25 — Prosecution closes evidence after examining 24 witnesses
2013
December 23 — Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate V.S. Patil slaps the charge of ‘culpable homicide not amounting to murder’ on the actor and referred the case to sessions court for trial as Magistrate’s court does not have powers to try this offence.
2014
November 24 — Sessions court starts retrial of Salman Khan.
2015
March 27 — Salman Khan’s statement recorded under section 313 Cr.PC by Additional Sessions Judge D.W. Deshpande
March 28 — Salman Khan’s family driver Ashok Singh owns up responsibility of accident by giving testimony in trial court.
April 9 — Special Public Prosecutor Pradeep Gharat rests case
April 20 — Defence counsel Shrikant Shivade rests case
April 21 — Additional Sessions Judge D.W. Deshpande announces that it would pronounce verdict on May 6
May 6 — Mumbai sessions court sentences Salman Khan to five years rigorous imprisonment, actor gets two day interim bail by Bombay High Court.
May 8 — Bombay High Court admits plea against conviction, posts hearing on June 15
September 7 — HC rejects paper book, orders it to be prepared afresh
September 21 — Justice A R Joshi commences daily hearing of Salman Khan appeal
November 17 — Defence counsel Amit Desai wraps up its case
November 30 — Court rejects defence plea to examine Kamaal Khan as court witness
December 3 — Government pleader and chief public prosecutor Sandeep Shinde wraps up case
December 4 — Judge A.R. Joshi posts appeal for dictation of verdict from December 7
December 7 — Judge begins dictation of verdict.
December 10 — Salman acquitted of all charges in the case.
2016
February 5 — HC verdict on Salman Khan ‘perverse’, >Maharashtra tells SC
February 19 — SC issues >notice to Salman Khan in hit-and-run case
July 5 — SC >admits plea challenging Salman Khan’s acquittal in hit-and-run case
Published - May 06, 2015 01:03 pm IST
