John Abraham will appeal jail sentence

Actor John Abraham will appeal a court sentence of 15 days' in jail.

"I am a law abiding citizen. I will be appealing against this verdict and will go to every length to have this verdict appealed. I am advised that I have a good chance of succeeding in the appeal," John, 37, said in a statement to media.

The actor said he decided to make a statement because as a public figure he did not want to send a wrong message. "Only because I am a public figure and in all modesty I do have a large youth interaction who look to me for guidance and leadership and inspiration and I don't want them to feel or take away that when wronged we do not fight for what is right," the actor said.

He said although he has the highest regards for the country's judicial system, he felt compelled to make a personal clarification. He maintained that he was not commenting in anyway on any judicial view.

A Mumbai court last week found Abraham guilty of rash driving and sentenced him to 15 days' simple imprisonment, Indian media reported on Friday. He has been released on bail.

The Bollywood actor has also been fined Rs1,500 for causing an accident and injuring two men in a motorcycle accident four years ago. Abraham reportedly collided with a cyclist in Mumbai's Khar Danda area in April 2006. Two men were injured, 19-year-old Tanmay Majhi and Shyam Kasbe, 22. In contrast to previous Bollywood stars who have been hit-and-run drivers, Abraham rushed the victims to hospital himself, the court observed, despite sufering

The actor, who is enjoying a career high at present, was in court when the sentence was pronounced and paid the fine on the spot. Bandra additional chief metropolitan magistrate S V Kulkarni said Rs1,000 of the fine amount would go towards compensation to one of the victims.

Abraham was present in court when the sentence was pronounced. He has thus far refused to comment.

The offence of rash driving on a public road attracts a maximum sentence of six months imprisonment. Abraham was booked under sections 279 and 337 of the Indian Penal Code.

Kasbe died of tuberculosis two years after the accident.

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