Salman's acquittal a 'professionally satisfying outcome': Lawyer Amit Desai

Expressing relief over Bollywood actor Salman Khan's acquittal in the 2002 hit-and-run case, his lawyer Amit Desai on Thursday said that it was a professionally satisfying outcome for him.

"At the end of the day, it's a professionally satisfying outcome for me. So far as the client is concerned, it's a big relief after 13 years of journey that he has gone through," Amit Desai, Salman' lawyer told reporters here.

"The court has held in his favour on all the issues that have been raised. So, we are very glad of the outcome," he added.

He asserted that according to the law, when a person is acquitted, law requires him to execute a bond in case the other side wants to go and appeal.

"The formality is in progress right now. Salman will execute the bond in a little while and the passport will be returned," he said.

Earlier, the famous Bollywood actor heaved a sigh of relief as the Bombay High Court quashed all the charges in the 2002 hit-and-run case.

The court observed that the prosecution failed to establish the case against the actor.

Salman Khan left in the middle of a film shooting at a Mumbai studio after he was asked by the court to be present for the decision on his appeal against a lower court's order in May that had held him guilty of killing a man with his SUV. He had then been sentenced to five years in jail.

Pronouncing the verdict, Justice Anil Ramchandra Joshi said that on basis of evidences produced by the prosecution, the appellant cannot be convicted, no matter how differently the common man thinks.

The court, in its order, said that there been a faulty manner to establish procedure for connecting chain of evidence with regard to biological evidence.

The High Court also observed that appreciation of evidence by trial court is not proper according to principles of jurisprudence.

There has been a faulty manner to establish procedure for connecting chain of evidence with regard to biological evidence, the court added.

The actor was convicted of all charges by a sessions court earlier this year in the case relating to 2002 when Salman's Toyota Land Cruiser had crashed into five men sleeping outside a bakery on Hill Road in Bandra in the early hours of September 28. One person was killed and four others were injured.