Bollywood actor Salman Khan, one of the biggest box office stars in India, was sentenced to five years in prison for a 2002 hit-and-run incident, in which he killed a homeless man in Mumbai, on Wednesday.
Khan, 49 was convicted of culpable homicide, reports Reuters. He was driving while drunk when he lost control of his Toyota Landcruiser in 2002. The vehicle went into a group of people who were sleeping on the pavement.
Khan and his driver testified that the actor was not behind the wheel, but other witness testimony contradicted that.
“You were driving the car; you were under the influence of alcohol,” judge DW Deshpande told Khan.
According to The BBC, Khan could have received up to 10 years in prison. But any prison time at all could derail his incredibly lucrative career. He’s made over 80 Hindi-language films and scored several commercial hits. He also has two more films in the pipeline for 2015.
He is currently out on interim bail and will be back in court for a hearing on possibly extending his bail.
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