Salman Khan acquitted, Bollywood celebrates decision

As Salman Khan was acquitted of all charges, his friends from Bollywood lined up to wish him on Twitter.

Bollywood celebs took to Twitter to congratulate Salman Khan after he was acquitted by the Bombay high court in 2002 hit-and-run case on Thursday. The HC threw out an earlier conviction and five-year sentence given the 49-year-old actor.

Salman Khan was acquitted in 2002 hit-and-run case by Bombay high court on Thursday. (AP)

“The trial court’s verdict is quashed and set aside,” justice AR Joshi said in reading the verdict to a crowded courtroom. “Salman is acquitted of all charges.”

The judges said in their ruling, which was read over several days, that prosecutors had failed to prove charges of culpable homicide, in which they accused Khan of driving while intoxicated in 2002 and running over five men sleeping on a sidewalk in Mumbai, killing one of them.

Khan has appeared in more than 90 Hindi-language films in his 27-year career, and is best known as a romantic action hero. This has been a record-breaking year for the star with his films garnering upward of Rs 500 crore at the BO.