Bollywood actor Salman Khan was on Wednesday sentenced to five years in jail for a 2002 hit-and-run accident that left one man dead and four others injured here.
Additional Sessions Judge D.W. Deshpande announced the verdict at a packed courtroom here, stunning the actor and his family.
Salman, one of the highest paid actors in Bollywood, was sentenced for culpable homicide not amounting to murder.
The judge held Salman guilty of rash and negligent driving when he was at the wheels of the Land Cruiser that killed the poor victim in suburban Bandra in September 2002.
Defence lawyer Abha Singh said justice had finally been done.
"I am very happy," she told the media. "Justice has been done. The law has been upheld."
She said the long delay had given the impression that the rich could get away with murder in India, and that the moneyed were above the law.
Earlier on Wednesday, the actor was found guilty on most of the charges levelled against him in the incident.
His lawyers had pleaded for a lighter sentence, citing the actor's social work as well as heart and other medical issues.
Salman is likely to be taken into police custody and sent to the Arthur Road Central Jail in south Mumbai.
Akshaye Khanna, who plays a significant role in his upcoming film 'Mom', says it was 'tough' to work with Sridevi as she is too good with her work and that's the problem.
Bollywood actress Sunny Leone, who has performed on the song "Laila main Laila" from "Raees", says Pakistani actress Mahira Khan -- who features as Shah Rukh Khan's love interest in the movie -- is a sweet person.
Movies like OMG: Oh My God, Special 26, and Baby have helped him diversify from a mere action hero to an actor with substance, and though he totally adores this action-drama kind of serious cinema, his soul still craves for its usual dose of comedy, says Akshay Kumar in a candid chat.
A not guilty verdict will help him bounce back. But even if Salman is held guilty by a sessions court, the film industry does not seem to be too anxious, despite over Rs.200 crore riding on him.
It was a celebration time for both Kangana Ranaut and Priyanka Chopra after the 62nd National Awards, and both the actresses were seen enjoying a girls night out in a photograph shared online.
