Salman back home a hero

Mumbai: Salman Khan returned to Mumbai on Saturday evening to a hero's welcome, hours after a court allowed the superstar to walk free on bail from a Jodhpur prison.

A sea of humanity erupted outside the actor's Galaxy Apartments home in Bandra as soon as news broke that he had been released after two nights in jail.

The delirious fans, who chanted "Salman, Salman", danced to the tunes of Swag se Swagat, as they waited for the Tiger Zinda Hai star to arrive.

All hell broke loose around 8.10pm when Salman's convoy rolled in. The fans burst crackers as police and private security guards jostled with them to provide the actor's car a safe passage into the building. Accompanied by his bodyguard Shera, Salman was ushered inside.

In the next 10 minutes, the blinds of his first-floor balcony window rolled up, and Salman appeared. He waved to his fans, blowing kisses and even doing a reverential namaste.

A few elderly gentlemen among the crowd said Salman's good karma at helping the needy would always keep him safe.

The actor was soon joined by his father Salim, mother Salma and nephew Ahil, younger sister Arpita's son, whom he playfully picked up while waving to the crowd.

The actor made a sign of three with his fingers and followed it up with a gesture of sleeping, indicating that he had not slept for the past three days. It was also a sign to his fans that he wanted to call it a day.

Soon after, actress Katrina Kaif was the first visitor to come calling.

Earlier in the day in Jodhpur, district and sessions judge Ravindra Kumar Joshi had allowed Salman's plea for bail and suspension of sentence for a month to allow him to appeal against his conviction and jail term in a 1998 blackbuck poaching case, PTI reported.

A magistrate had on Thursday jailed the actor for five years and sent him to Jodhpur Central Jail.

Defence counsel Mahesh Bora said the actor was granted bail on a bond of Rs 50,000 and two sureties of like amount. Salman's sisters - Alvira and Arpita - were present at the hearing.

A police official in Jodhpur said Salman was driven under police escort to the airport in Jodhpur immediately after his release.

Crowd outside Salman Khan home at Bandra

Judge Joshi's order came as a relief to the industry. A source said the 52-year-old actor, whose latest movie Race 3 is almost complete and scheduled for release later this year, would return to work soon.

"We only have to shoot one song and our film will be complete," Race 3 producer Ramesh Taurani said. "I am very happy, Salman Khan is not only a huge superstar but a super human being, that is why the industry and people love him."

Race 3 director Remo D'Souza told PTI: "After working with him so closely I have become a huge fan of him, not only as an actor but also as a human being."

Salman's Dabangg co-actor Sonu Sood tweeted: "A Good deed is the best Prayer. Welcome brother Salman Khan."

There was a change too for Judge Joshi. The sessions court judge has been posted to Sirohi as part of a shuffle involving 134 judges transferred by the registrar-general of Rajasthan High Court.

The Telegraph