JOIN USThere were tense moments as actor Salman Khan was sentenced to five years in jail by a sessions court here in the 2002 hit-and-run case.
Dressed in a white shirt and blue denims, the 49-year-old action hero stepped into the witness box, only to get a rude shock when the judge told him that he had been convicted on all counts.
A profusely sweating Salman, however, controlled his emotions and maintained silence with head bowed down and appeared to be hiding his tears.
His sisters – Alvira and Arpita – broke down, while brothers – Arbaaz and Sohail – and brother-in-law Atul Agnihotri appeared tense.
In the jam-packed courtroom, close to 150 people, including lawyers and journalists, were present.
Several fans oif the actor were also present inside. Tight security arrangements were in place. A large number of students from nearby colleges and fans could be seen outside the court.
When the quantum of punishment was announced, Salman appeared tense and realised what was coming. As soon as the judge left, Salman’s family and some friends walked up to the witness box.
Salman sat down on the chair and wiped his face and eyes. It took him some time to regain his composure. There were also reports that his mother Salma fell ill after the sentencing.
Earlier in the day, Salman took his parents blessings and left for the court in a SUV with family driver Ashok Singh behind the wheel and his man Friday and bodyguard Shera by the side.
A large number of fans had assembled outside Salman’s residence at Bandra.