Relief for Salman Khan, no jail till High Court hears appeal

Bollywood actor Salman Khan, who was found guilty by a Mumbai sessions court on Wednesday in connection with the 2002 hit-and-run case, will find his regular bail application being heard by the Bombay High Court today.

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12: 49 am: Salman Khan, whose bail has been extended by the Bombay HC today, will have to surrender and furnish fresh bond.

12: 39 pm: BREAKING right now: Relief for Salman Khan, his sentence has been suspended. He will not go to jail for now.

12: 27 am: The fan who attempted suicide has been identified as Gouranga Kundu, a 32-year-old man from West Bengal.

12:13 am: Apparently, the fan of the actor who drank poison has left behind a letter calling Salman his ‘bhagwaan’ (God). He says he struggled through a difficult childhood, is an aspiring writer, has two children and lives in Bandra East. He said that Salman appeared in his dream.

11:52 am: There are reports of a fan having tried to commit suicide outside the court. A man in his 20s is said to have consumed poison and is being taken away to the hospital.

11:50 am: Meanwhile, outside the court, the protesters have been cleared. An extra contingent of police personnel have arrived. The protesters plan a morcha outside Salman’s residence in the evening if he gets bail.

11:45 am: As his hearing is in progress at the HC, celebrities continue to drop in at Salman’s house to meet him.

11:28 am: Defense cites the actor’s humanitarian work and his neurological condition during the hearing.

11:10 am: Salman Khan’s bail application hearing begins at the Bombay High Court.

11:07 am: Senior counsel Amit Desai, who represents Salman Khan, arrives inside the courtroom.

11:05 am: There are protesters outside the court who are demanding that bail be not given to Salman. They are also asking for housing for the homeless.

10: 48 am: Salman Khan not likely to appear in court for his bail hearing.

10: 40 am: Public prosecutor Sandeep Shinde, who represents the State in the Bombay HC, has reached the court.

Salman was convicted of ramming his car into a roadside bakery in Bandra back in 2002 killing a man and injuring four others.

Shortly after the judgment was pronounced on Wednesday, the actor’s lawyers had moved an application for interim bail at the High Court, which was granted since he had not been given a detailed, reasoned copy of the verdict on the basis of which his appeal would be heard.

Heavy security will be deployed in the High Court premises with an additional 200 police personnel added to the existing 400 personnel who guard the building all year round. The actor is not likely to be present for the hearing.