Salman Khan granted 5-year jail term in 2002 hit-and-run case: As it happened

Bollywood actor Salman Khan was on Wednesday pronounced guilty in the 2002 hit-and-run case by a Mumbai sessions court.

Mumbai: Bollywood actor Salman Khan was on Wednesday pronounced guilty in the 2002 hit-and-run case by a sessions court here. The crucial verdict was delivered by Sessions Court Judge DW Deshpande, who said that all charges against the actor have been proved while holding him responsible for the tragic death of one of the victims in the case. The court has sentenced Salman Khan to five years in jail. The verdict in the 13-year-old case has not only shattered the actor's family but also apparently brought the entire Bollywood to a standstill.

Here are the Live Updates: -

-Salman Khan reaches home.

-Actor set to reach Bandra residence in another 15-20 minutes.

-Salman Khan leaves from sessions court.

-Interim bail copy reaches sessions court from Bombay High Court. 

-Sessions court judge awaits interim bail copy granted by Bombay HC.

-Salman Khan’s car arrives at sessions court to take him back to his Bandra residence.

-Salman gets interim bail for 2 days since judgment copy was not given in time to court.

-Bombay High Court is expected to hear Salman's bail plea at 4:30 pm.

-Senior lawyer Harish Salve appears in Bombay HC seeking bail for Salman.

-Salman's bail application to be heard by High Court at 4 pm

-Salman Khan's lawyers move bail application before Justice Abhay Thipsay of Bombay High Court.

- Salman's lawyer and sister have reached the Bombay High Court to appeal for bail. -Salman's fingerprints are being taken.

-Salman will undergo medical tests before being taken to Arthur Road Jail.

-Salman's lawyers to get a copy of the judgement by 4 pm today.

-Experts say that Salman Khan's bail application may be referred to the vacation bench in case the Bombay High Court goes on break for summer vacations.

-Salman's driver Ashok Singh has been taken into custody for making a false statement in the court. He had earlier said that he was behind the wheels and not Salman.

-Salman is seated in the court room surrounded by his faily members.

-Salman’s lawyer says no decision on appeal will be made till they have a copy of the judgement in hand.

-I am very happy. Justice has been served, says senior lawyer Abha Singh.

-Salman will have to go to the HC for bail now, because if sessions court pronounces a punishment for more than 3 years then they can not grant bail, says Majeed Memon, a noted lawyer.

-Salman's lawyer to appeal in high court against decision.

-No more compensation to be given to victim's family.

- In addition to his 5 years sentencing, Salman also faces 2 months imprisonment and a fine of Rs 500 for driving without licence.

-Salman to be taken to Arthur Road Jail tonight.

-Salman to be jailed for 5 years.

-Sentencing delayed by power outage in court.

-Mumbai Police Commissioner M.N Singh while talking to Zee News said, " This was an open and shut case. There was never a doubt in my mind that who was driving."

- Sonakshi Sinha, Preity Zinta and Sangeeta Bijlani reach Salman's residence.

- Salman waits for the judge to arrive.

-Court adjourned for 45 minutes after hearing arguments of defence and prosecution on quantum of punishment.

-Salman Khan reportedly suffers with heart problem. His medical certificate has been produced before the court.

- Prosecution in the case seeks maximum punishment for the actor.

-Salman's lawyer cites his illness and seeks punishment of less than three years.

-Salman's fans forcibly enter the premise. 

-Salman's advocate talks about his charity foundation that has helped many people with contributions from him to the tune of Rs 42 crores.

-Police shuts the doors of courtroom. Reporters waiting outside the courtroom after chaos.

-Salman stands in the witness box in the courtroom as his lawyer continues argument.

-Salman's advocate says his client has paid Rs 19 lakhs already as compensation to victims and would compensate more if ordered by the court.

-Perjury charges may be leveled against Salman Khan's driver Ashok Singh.

-Salman Khan may be taken to Arthur Road Jail.

-Alvira and Arpita wipe tears while Salman listens to his lawyer's arguments.

- Salman's brothers Sohail and Arbaaz walk out of court room in tears.

- On being asked by the court on what he has to say, Salman denies that he was driving the car.

- Lawyer of Salman cites Alistair Pereira hit-and-run case while arguing for a lesser term.

- Salman can be jailed for a minimum of 6 months or a maximum of 10 years.

-Salman Khan expected to be taken into police custody from court .

-Salman did not even have a driving license, says judge.

-Salman breaks down after verdict is announced.

-It is not probable that driver was behind the wheel of car, judge tells Salman Khan.

-Salman was driving under the influence of alcohol, says judge.

-Salman Khan convicted on all charges, including culpable homicide not amounting to murder.

-Salman has been pronounced guilty in the case.

-Judge DW Deshpande arrives in sessions court to deliver verdict.

-Hearing in the case to begin in a few minutes.

-Salman, his family members are present inside the court room.

-Salman's brother Arbaaz and sisters Alvira and Arpita, brother-in-law Atul Agnihotri and friend Baba Siddiqui too reach the court.

-Fans of Salman have gathered outside the sessions court.

-Producer Pritish Nandy tweeted:

I have known @BeingSalmanKhan for many years now, as a friend. May he have the fortitude to face his destiny today. — Pritish Nandy (@PritishNandy) May 6, 2015

Actor Vinay Virmani tweeted: "Thoughts & prayers are with @BeingSalmanKhan today and always.(sic)"

All my good wishes and love to you bhai @BeingSalmanKhan .. — Siddhanth Kapoor (@SiddhanthKapoor) May 6, 2015

Salman's 'Prem Ratan Dhan Payo' co-star Neil Nitin Mukesh tweeted:

All me prayers with @BeingSalmanKhan bhai. One of the finest human beings I know. Pray !!!!! — Neil Nitin Mukesh (@NeilNMukesh) May 6, 2015

-Salman Khan reaches sessions court.

-Sohail Khan and Baba Siddique arrive at sessions court for Salman Khan's verdict in the 2002 hit and run case

Friend Farah Khan tweeted:

In Dubai.. But thoughts n prayers are still in Mumbai with @BeingSalmanKhan n his family.. — Farah Khan (@TheFarahKhan) May 6, 2015Sessions Judge DW Deshpande to pronounce the verdict in the case.

-Tight security arrangements have been made in and around the sessions court ahead of verdict involving the Bollywood superstar.

-Salman Khan is reportedly being driven to the court for verdict by the driver who says he was driving the vehicle on the night of the accident

-Brothers Sohail and Arbaaz accompany Salman to the sessions court.

-Salman Khan has left his residence for the court.

-Salman hugs his parents - Salma and Salim. He waves at the crowd waiting outside.

-Salman's friend and politician Baba Siddiqui reaches the actor's residence.

-The victim in this case has reportedly said he wants relief and not punishment for Salman Khan.

-Sister Arpita took to Twitter a while back to write: "Today is a big day for us & we know we are not alone.Thank you for your Dua's , love & support always. God bless !(sic)".

-Salman's younger sister Arpita reaches her brother's residence.

-Salman's sister Alvira reaches the actor's residence.

-The court proceedings are likely to begin at 11 am.

-The actor is expected to leave for the court at 10.30 am.

-Younger brother Sohail reaches Salman's residence.

-Fans of Salman offer their prayers with a hope that the actor will not be held guilty.

-Salman and his father Salim went for a morning walk as they do regularly.

-Close friends of the actor paid a visit to the actor last evening. The list included his arch rival Shah Rukh Khan. The actor spend over an hour-and-a-half at Salman's home.

-To express their love and support, fans and well-wishers of the actor have been trending #WeLoveYouSalmanKhan on Twitter.

-Friends, family and fans of Salman Khan are eagerly waiting for the verdict in the 2002 hit-and-run case.

The story so far:

A judge will rule today whether Bollywood superstar Salman Khan was guilty of killing a homeless man in a 2002 hit-and-run crash after a night out drinking, before trying to get his driver to take the blame.

Khan, star of blockbusters such as 'Dabangg' (Fearless), is accused of driving his SUV into a group of homeless people sleeping near a Mumbai bakery after spending the evening in an upmarket bar, killing one of them.

If convicted of culpable homicide, the 49-year-old faces a lengthy spell behind bars, a verdict that would bring the career of one of the Indian movie industry`s biggest box-office draws to a shuddering halt.

A string of prosecution witnesses, including survivors of the crash, have testified that Khan was at the wheel when his vehicle crashed at speed into a group of half a dozen men sleeping on the street in September 2002.

The trial began in earnest last year after a series of court hearings and legal hold-ups.

When Khan finally took the stand, he pleaded not guilty and told the court that his driver was responsible for mounting the pavement in the upmarket suburb of Bandra West.

A constable attached to Khan`s security detail said in his statement to police that the drunk actor lost control of the car while driving at about 90 kilometres (55 miles) an hour.

"The people were sleeping on the footpath. Salman and (his cousin) Kamaal ran away from the spot," the constable, who died in 2007 of tuberculosis, said.

One of the sleeping labourers injured in the accident said in his statement that "Salman was so drunk he fell. He stood but he fell again and then he... ran away."But Khan`s lawyers said the action and romantic comedy star had in fact been drinking water all evening and had climbed out of the driver`s seat after the accident because the passenger side door had been damaged.

They also said that the victim, Nurulah Mahbob Sharif, was killed during an operation to move the car, rather than the crash itself, when the bumper fell off and landed on him.

Finally, last month, his driver took the stand and said he crashed after the front left tyre burst, making steering and braking difficult.

Khan, the son of a respected film writer, has starred in more than 100 films and television shows since his first hit "Maine Pyar Kiya" (I Fell in Love) in the 1980s.

But the body-building actor is no stranger to controversy off screen and in 1998 he spent more than a week in prison for killing endangered Indian gazelles.

Khan, who has never married, has also been in the news over the years, including for allegedly assaulting former Miss World and Bollywood actress Aishwarya Rai with whom he had a long relationship.

The verdict is being awaited with baited breath both by his fans and Bollywood studios who stand to lose millions of dollars if they have to cancel filming for movies he has been signed up to.

One report by the Press of Trust of India said more than $31 million was riding on the verdict.

If he were to be jailed, Khan would become the second big-name Bollywood actor to be imprisoned in the last two years. Sanjay Dutt, the star of a series of gangster movies, is currently behind bars over possession of weapons linked to several bombings in Mumbai in 1993.

(With AFP inputs)

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