A sessions court in Mumbai on Wednesday found Bollywood star Salman Khan guilty of killing a homeless man in a 2002 hit-and-run crash reportedly after a night out drinking.
Khan was accused of running over five persons sleeping on a pavement outside a bakery in Bandra in his white Toyota Land Cruiser early on September 28, 2002, killing one and injuring four. He was allegedly under the influence of alcohol.
Hours before the verdict, #WeLoveYouSalmanKhan and #SalmanVerdict were trending on Twitter. Relatives and friends from the industry, including Shah Rukh Khan, were seen visiting Khan on Wednesday night.
The 49-year-old actor is known for cranking out some of Bollywood's biggest blockbusters and has an estimated Rs 300 crore riding on his films.
Sessions judge DW Deshpande pronounced the judgement amid tight security around the court where only lawyers, media and court staff were allowed.
The actor has said he was not at the wheel at the time of the accident. While the prosecution has insisted that a drunk Khan was driving the SUV that ran over the victims sleeping on the pavement, the actor said his driver Ashok Singh was behind the wheel.
