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Salman Khan, Bollywood Star, Sentenced to 5 Years for Deadly Hit-and-Run

An Indian court sentenced Bollywood film star Salman Khan to five years in prison Wednesday for killing a man in a hit-and-run accident.
A file picture dated 26 May 2014 shows Bollywood actor Salman Khan arriving at the presidential palace in New Delhi, India.
A file picture dated 26 May 2014 shows Bollywood actor Salman Khan arriving at the presidential palace in New Delhi, India. HARISH TYAGI / EPA

MUMBAI — An Indian court sentenced Bollywood film star Salman Khan to five years in prison Wednesday for killing a man in a hit-and-run accident.

The Mumbai court convicted Khan, 49, of culpable homicide on charges he lost control of his Toyota Landcruiser when driving under the influence of alcohol in 2002, and rammed into a group of people sleeping on a pavement.

Khan, instantly recognizable by his muscular build, denied being behind the wheel, despite the testimony of several witnesses. In March, the actor's driver said he had driven, while Khan rode in the passenger seat.

In his verdict, Judge D.W. Deshpande said Khan had in fact been driving the car. Khan can appeal against the judgment, but would be taken to jail directly from the court, senior lawyer Abha Singh told reporters after the sentencing.

"Finally, justice has been done," said Singh, a petitioner in the case. "The law has been upheld."

The sentencing could derail major projects in the pipeline of the world's most prolific movie industry.

The conviction is not Khan's first brush with the law. In 2007, he was jailed for nearly a week for shooting an endangered gazelle on a hunting trip. He is also on bail in a case over the killing of protected antelopes.

— Reuters