A major Bollywood star was cleared in a fatal 2002 hit-and-run on Thursday, sparking outpourings of both support and outrage on social media.
Salman Khan was convicted in May in connection with the death of a man who was run over while sleeping on the pavement in a Mumbai suburb, according to the BBC. The charges, which included culpable homicide and driving under the influence, reportedly came with a prison sentence of up to five years.
But on Thursday, a high court in Mumbai reversed the guilty conviction. The judge reportedly cited questions about testimony by a key prosecution witness who has since died. According to French wire service AFP, the judge said former Khan bodyguard Ravindra Patil's account that the actor plowed into a crowd of homeless people was “not wholly reliable.”
The 49-year-old star took to Twitter to share his reaction with his 15 million followers after the decision was announced.
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I accept the decision of the judiciary with humility. I thank my family, friends & fans for their support & prayers .
— Salman Khan (@BeingSalmanKhan) December 10, 2015
News of the acquittal sent the #SalmanKhan hashtag trending worldwide. Some fans celebrated the outcome, setting off firecrackers and sending messages of support, while other observers slammed the verdict and mocked the judicial system.
Happy for #SalmanKhan
#SalmanVerdict https://t.co/xMnOzWApMr
— Esha Tewari (@eshatewari) December 10, 2015
Congratulations Bhai @BeingSalmanKhan Good Human being who has always been there for each & every needy #SalmanKhan pic.twitter.com/ssdTJRhpTV
— Jas Randhawa (@iamjasrandhawa) December 10, 2015
#SalmanKhan is clear proof that the rich can get away with murder. Democracy my foot.
— R. Balakrishnan (@BalakrishnanR) December 10, 2015
Nobody realized India launched its first Driverless car back in 2002. #SalmanVerdict
— Priyank Gohil (@priyankgohil) December 10, 2015
The millionaire megastar has racked up more than 90 film credits, according to IMDB.