Maha to decide by Monday if state will appeal against Salman Khan's acquittal

Mumbai: A day after Bombay High Court acquitted Bollywood star Salman Khan of all charges in the 2002 hit-and-run case, Maharashtra’s Minister of State for Home Ram Shinde on Friday said that the decision on filing an appeal against the order will be taken by Monday. “We have not yet decided whether to approach the Supreme Court. If the Law and Judiciary department feels after reading the judgment that there are lapses, we will appeal against the High Court verdict,” Shinde told PTI. [caption id=“attachment_2540876” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Salman Khan. AFP[/caption] “We expect to take a decision by Monday,” he added. The Bombay High Court on Thursday overturned the trial court order which had sentenced Salman Khan to five years in jail for ramming his SUV into a shop in suburban Bandra on 28 September, 2002, killing one person and injuring four. The HC held that the prosecution failed to prove “beyond reasonable doubt” that the actor was driving the vehicle at the time of the incident. Meanwhile, those injured in the hit-and-run are demanding justice and compensation. “We have waited for 13 long years to receive justice and finally Salman was acquitted. If the court had to pronounce a judgement in his favour it could have done so many years back. What was the point in making us wait for so many years,” said Abdulla, a survivor. “I was injured, I broke my leg. I have small children but I cannot work because of my injuries. How do I earn and make my children eat?” he asked. Reshma, the wife of one of the victims, Abdul Sheikh, said, “The court should also have thought about us…Salman Khan should give us sustenance allowance and compensation.” Salman Khan has already deposited Rs 19 lakh in the Bombay High Court registry to be given to the victims of the mishap as compensation following a court directive on a PIL. PTI