New Delhi, Jul 24: It's a diffcult day for superstar Salman Khan today as the court will frame the charges against him for hit and run case. Salman Khan whose recent movies have effortlessly entered 100 cr club has a lot at stake as his home production Mental is in production along with other projects.
If convicted, Salman Khan may face imprisonment of 10 years. Now the decision on July 24th will decide the future of this most eligible bachelor of Bollywood.
The problem started when on September 28, 2002, when Salman Khan's Landcruiser ran over five people sleeping on the pavement outside a bakery in Bandra, killing one and injuring four others. Witnesses said, it was Salman who was driving the vehicle, but the actor denies the charge.
A social activist Abha Singh had filed a private complaint before the Bandra Metropolitan court pointing out deficiencies in the police probe and collection of evidences and alleged that the police investigators were trying to shield the actor. Singh alleged that because of police negligence, the hit-and-run case in court has been dragging on for the last 11 years.
Salman Khan had fled the spot after the accident and surrendered to police after 8 hours. Medical report showed that he was under the influence of alcohol. The matter then reached the sessions court where Salman Khan filed a revision petition denying charges levelled against him. The court is to give its order today on Salman's petition.
Chemical analysis report filed in 2007 had showed that Salman had 62 mg alochol in his blood on the night of accident. Salman's bodyguard Ravindra Patil had then tried to shield the actor by telling he police that it was he who was driving the car. 64 witnesses testified before the court, and ultimately it was proved that it was Salman who was driving the vehicle. After much persuasion, Ravindra Patil became the prosecution witness, but later he became hostile and disowned his own statement. Patil died in a mysterious accident in 2007.
Abha Singh says, the trial court had ordered summons to be served on 39 witnesses, but police did not serve summons to 24 witnesses. Police told the court that it could not summon 12 out of the remaining 24, and two witnesses refused to take summons. Ultimately, only one witness appeared in court. Police even failed to produce the medical officer who had prepared the medical report.
Even the four injured victims were untraceable. One of them Abdullah Sheikh was traced to Mangalore, who occasionally visits Mumbai for brief periods. The vehicle ran over both his legs. Presently, Abdullah works in another bakery in Bandra.
Salman Khan had also requested the court that his Landcruiser be returned, but the trial court refused.
