Salman to stay out of jail for now in hit-and-run case

Salman Khan outside his residence in Mumbai. In a huge relief to Bollywood superstar Salman Khan, the Bombay High Court on Friday suspended his 5-year sentence in the 2002 hit-and-run case and granted him bail pending his appeal against conviction. He has been on bail for a long time and his liberty was not curtailed.

Normally, in such cases, the appeal is admitted and an accused is granted bail, Justice Abhay M Thipsay said, while staying the 49-year-old actor's conviction and granting him bail. The judge directed him to surrender before the trial court and furnish a fresh bail bond of Rs.30,000.

Thipsay had on May 6 granted 48-hour interim bail to the actor, hours after he was convicted and sentenced to five years rigorous imprisonment by the trial court on the ground that he had not been supplied with a detailed order explaining the reasons for his conviction. The term of interim bail was to expire on Friday.

Salman was sentenced to five years in jail on Wednesday by a Mumbai sessions court, which found the mega star guilty of culpable homicide not amounting to murder. One person was killed and four other pavement dwellers injured in Bandra in September, 2002.

Salman Khan's fans celebrate after the judgement.Thousands of Salman's fans had assembled outside the actor's suburban Bandra residence, and the High Court in south Mumbai where Justice Thipsay heard the actor's bail application against the five-year sentence awarded by Additional Sessions Judge DW Deshpande two days ago.

There was tight security at both the venues in view of the huge fan crowds, celebrities and stars, media contingents and commoners gathered.The hearing was crucial for the actor since it is the final working day of the High Court before it goes for its annual summer vacation till June 8.

Fan attempts suicide outside High Court

There was high drama at the Mumbai High Court on Friday when a fan of the Bollywood superstar attempted suicide by consuming poison.

The victim, Gourango Kundu, an aspiring script writer and a resident of Bandra east in suburban Mumbai, said in a pamphlet which he had distributed that he was hoping that Salman would help him showcase his talent but if the actor does not get bail, it would shatter his dream.

He said he wanted to become a Bollywood script writer but did not get any opportunity to showcase his talent. After that, he started sending his scripts to Salman hoping that the 49-year-old actor would give him a break in the industry, it said.

He said he was distraught because if Salman does not get bail, his dreams would remain unfulfilled and hence he allegedly consumed poison in the presence of police personnel. The man was unconscious and has been taken to a hospital, police said.