Bollywood Star Salman Khan Sentenced to Five Years in Prison

Salman Khan, one of the most famous actors in Indian cinema, was sentenced to five years in prison on Wednesday, May 5, at the end of a case that lasted over 12 years, for driving his car over five people sleeping on the sidewalk and killing one of them. According to the Associated Press, a judge in Mumbai found Salman Khan guilty of murder. The Bollywood star was also convicted of other offenses, including reckless driving and fleeing the scene of the accident, but according to his lawyer, the prison term for all offenses will be served concurrently. The 49-year-old Salman Khan is one of the most popular and biggest stars in Bollywood, having acted in over 90 Hindi films during his 27-year career. The High Court in Mumbai agreed to his defense lawyers' request for two days of bail so that he can attend a formal court session on Friday to file an appeal. If his bail request is accepted at that session, he will not have to go to prison until the appeal outcome is determined. Most prisons in India are overcrowded and have poor facilities and hygiene. However, a high-profile prisoner like Salman Khan will not be kept among regular criminals and will likely be housed in sections designated for so-called 'white-collar' prisoners. The prosecutor argued in court that Salman Khan was completely drunk in September 2002 when the incident occurred and drove his large vehicle over five homeless individuals sleeping on the sidewalk. Salman Khan has denied being behind the wheel at the time of the incident for all these 12 years. In April, his personal driver testified in court that he was driving and lost control of the vehicle after one of the tires burst. However, the judge rejected these claims and accused Salman Khan of driving under the influence and fleeing the scene. Salman Khan is also on trial in another legal case for the illegal hunting of two very rare wild deer in western India. According to the Associated Press, on Wednesday morning, a large crowd gathered around Salman Khan's home in South Mumbai to see the movie star, who was surrounded by bodyguards, as he left. A large group of reporters, television reporters, and cameramen followed his car to the courthouse and then into the courtroom. Millions of Salman Khan's fans in India and other countries have been closely following the events surrounding this court case. Reports from Indian television networks indicate that Salman Khan appeared very sad during the court session and broke down in tears when the judge issued his ruling. In addition to his two brothers, a large group of family members, friends, and colleagues from the Indian film industry were present in the courtroom. Another famous Indian actor, Sanjay Dutt, was sentenced to prison in April 2013 for possessing weapons used in a terrorist attack in 1993, but has since spent much of his sentence at home on health grounds. Salman Khan began his acting career in 1988 and has always played the hero in action or romantic films, which have been very successful. In recent years, he has turned to charitable activities and established a foundation called 'Being Human,' which works in education and medical services for the poor. Bollywood executives are concerned about the outcome of this case as Salman Khan is set to star in several other films currently in production. Industry insiders say that the value of the film projects dependent on Salman Khan is about $40 million. The conclusion of this case could take years as India's judicial system is very slow due to a shortage of judges, corruption, police delays, and extensive paperwork.