The Bombay high court on Thursday acquitted Salman Khan in the 2002 hit-and-run case, setting aside the order of a sessions court that had convicted him in May this year.
The court said that Salman cannot be convicted as the prosecution has not proven the charges against the actor.
“Doubt arises over involvement of appellant on charges … Investigation was conducted in faulty manner with scant regard to procedure,” Justice Joshi said after seeking Salman’s presence in court at the time of pronouncing the verdict which is expected as soon as he reaches there.
The actor’s sister, who was present in court, said he is in Mumbai and will reach the court in about two hours.
The court said the prosecution had failed to prove that the left front tyre of Salman’s car burst after the accident that night. The actor had maintained all along that the car swung out of control and jumped onto the pavement following a tyre burst on Hill Road in Bandra.
He made these observations while dwelling upon citations of the Bombay high court and the Supreme Court in a similar case pertaining to Alistair Pereira and the applicability of Section 304, Part II (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) under which Salman was convicted.
