Salman Khan in trial

Sallu faces 10 years in prison for hit-and-run as court rules he will face trial for culpable homicide

By Mail Today Reporter
Published: 1 February 2013 | dailymail.co.uk

After almost a decade of dilly-dallying, the law finally seems to be catching up with actor Salman Khan in the 2002 hit-and-run case.

A Mumbai court has ruled that Salman will be tried for culpable homicide not amounting to murder in the case.

The actor, who is currently being tried under Section 304 A (rash and negligent driving), has been asked to be present in court on March 11.

Salman could face up to 10 years in jail if found guilty.

The metropolitan court has decided to inquire into the complaint by social activist Santosh Daundkar, who had alleged that delays in the trial had stretched the case to over a decade.

He also claimed that the prosecution had joined hands with the actor and that the police produced false evidence and manipulated facts to drag the case.

Bureaucrat-turned-lawyer Abha Singh, who is Daundkar's counsel, said: "While other high-profile cases were over within a few years, the case against Salman has been dragging for 10 years.

"The medical officers produced before the court were not the ones to whom summons were issued. There has been a manipulation of evidence."

The police had filed a report on Wednesday, refuting the allegations. The police report stated that the investigators could not be blamed if the medical officers, who were working in the hospital during the case, had been transferred over the years.

"The hospital had assigned others to depose before the court. Hence the prosecution has not given false information to the court or caused any delay in the trial," the report stated.

Salman's Toyota Land Cruiser had rammed intothe American Express bakery in Bandra on September 28, 2002.

A pavement dweller was killed while four others were injured in the accident. Salman was initially booked on a charge of culpable homicide not amounting to murder but he had petitioned the Bombay High Court against the charge and said he had not intended to kill.

The high court had ruled that Section 304 (part II) of the IPC (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) could not be applied in the case and the actor should be tried under IPC Section 304 A instead.

The court had, accordingly, framed charges against Salman under sections 304 A, 279 (rash driving), 337 (causing minor injuries), 338 (causing major injuries) and 427 (negligence) of IPC.