Bollywood actor Salman Khan was acquitted of the charge of culpable homicide not amounting to murder in the 2002 hit-and-run case today. The Bombay High Court, which has been hearing an appeal against a five-year-sentence handed out to the actor by a session’s court in May, said that the prosecution had failed to prove that the actor had consumed liquor and was driving the Toyota Land Cruiser when the mishap occurred, giving Khan "the benefit of doubt".

The court is not oblivious of the perception of general public that the court must decide the case. It is settled principle that the court must decide the case on material that is admissible as evidence under procedure of law. Law of Evidence has no scope for general public opinion.

In a scathing indictment of the previous judgment, the High Court threw out all the evidence that had been considered by the session’s court in May, calling the Mumbai Police's probe "highly deplorable".

The court said "The evidence presented by Prosecution has not been able to reach the level which in view of this court is needed to establish the guilt of appellant beyond reasonable doubt. Any strong suspicion can't be enough to hold anyone guilty."

The HC also slammed the testimonies of Salman's deceased police bodyguard Ravindra Patil, calling him "a wholly unreliable witness" over the differences in his statements. In the FIR just after the accident, on September 28, 2002, Patil reportedly did not mention whether Khan had been driving under the influence of alcohol. Three days later, on October 1, after the receipt of Salman's blood test report, Patil gave a statement before a Magistrate saying that the actor had taken drinks on the ill-fated day and he had warned him not to drive rashly or else he would meet with an accident but Salman did not pay heed to his advice.


Times Now had reported that the actor arrived at Bombay HC with a fazed expression, slightly red-eyed but with considerably more confidence than before.