Mumbai, Jul 19: A Mumbai sessions court will give its order today in the Salman Khan hit-and-run case on the actor's revision petition challenging the charge of culpable homicide not amounting to murder. If convicted Salman Khan will be jailed for 10 years.
The Bollywood superstar has already left for the court followed by family memebrs and sisters Arpita and Alvira. Also see: Unknown facts about Salman Khan
On September 28, 2002, 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 toproduce 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.
