2002 hit-and-run case: Convict Salman Khan for culpable homicide, demands prosecution

New Delhi, April 9: Prosecution is trying his best to prove Salman Khan guilty in 2002 hit-and-run case. Citing various high profile cases including hit-and-run case of industrialist Alistair Pereira and the 1999 Sanjeev Nanda case, Public prosecutor Pradeep Gharat on Thursday, when he concluded his final arguments before Additional Sessions Judge D.W. Deshpande tried to prove his point.

While arguing the case, the Prosecution forcefully said that evidence shows that Salman was under the influence of liquor, rashly driving the vehicle without a licence with prior knowledge of the place. Gharat also demanded that actor be convicted for culpable homicide not amounting to murder, which attracts a 10-year jail term.

earlier, on Wednesday prosecution cited evidence to prove that the Bollywood star was indeed under the influence of alcohol.

Public prosecutor Pradeep Gharat informed court that actor's Toyota Land Cruiser vehicle did not have any mechanical defects.

Earlier, Gharat on Tuesday told the trial court that the deposition of witnesses indicated the actor had run away after the incident and did not take the injured to hospital. "The actor ran away from the spot and did not help the victims by taking them to hospital", said Prosecution.

Earlier, trashing testimony of actor's driver, the prosecution on Monday termed Ashok Singh (driver) a liar and demanded a strong action against him.

Continuing his arguments on Wednesday, Gharat told Additional Sessions Judge D.W. Deshpande that there was no tampering with the actor's blood samples.

He connected the evidence of four prosecution witnesses -- medico Shashikant Pawar of Sir J.J. Hospital who took the blood sample, Bandra policemen Vijay Salunkhe who accompanied Salman to the hospital, and Sharad Gorade who carried the sample to the Forensics Science Laboratory and chemical analyst D. Balachander who analysed the blood sample.

"Balachander has proved that the accused (Salman) has consumed alcohol. The analysis revealed the presence of 62 mg alcohol in 100 ml blood. There is no reason to doubt the witness," Gharat said, explaining the procedure the chemical analyst had adopted for checking the blood sample.

Gharat said that after Pawar took the blood sample, he sealed it properly so there was no possibility of tampering, the police constable delivered it to the Bandra police station's then in-charge, Senior Inspector Kishan Shengal, and then it was taken by Gorade to chemical analyst Balachander who received it intact.

On the question of defence arguments pointing at mechanical defects in the vehicle leading to the accident, Gharat cited the evidence of investigation officer Rajendra Kadam who had not touched the vehicle or started the ignition and it was taken to the police station, where a region transport office inspector Rajendra Keskar inspected it.

"The evidence on record shows that the person driving the car was under the influence of alcohol and could not control it," Gharat argued, referring to the defence claims that stones and rubble on the road could have made the vehicle veer off the road.

However, Gharat made a strong plea seeking re-examination of Keskar, who he said answered all questions during examination, but did not answer properly during cross-examination.

"The witness said during cross-examination that he inspected the vehicle for two-three seconds. Is it possible? He is a mechanical engineer and had been examining vehicles for four years, and then during cross-examination said he has experience of inspecting only one Indica car during his training session. He is an unreliable witness," Gharat argued, seeking Keskar's re-examination.
The arguments will continue before Judge Deshpande on Thursday.

OneIndia news

(With inputs from IANS)