Salman Khan to move HC for cross-examining Dulani

New Delhi, Mar 6 (UNI) A special leave petition (SLP) filed by filmstar Salman Khan, challenging a Jodhpur court's order disallowing him to cross-examine the witness Harish Dulani in a case under Wildlife Protection Act pending against him since 1998, was today dismissed as withdrawn by the Supreme Court.

A bench, comprising Mr Justice Ashok Bhan and Mr Justice Lokeshwar Singh Panta, dismissed the petition as not pressed after senior counsel Rajiv Dhawan submitted before the court that he did not want to press his petition as he wanted to approach the High Court.

The counsel for Salman Khan had not turned up till 3 pm to cross-examine Dulani, and thereafter the witness disappeared and is untraceable till date.

Earlier, Justice Bhan told the petitioner that it was his counsel in the trial court, who was not willing to cross-examine the witness and he had disappeared because the accused (Salman Khan) had threatened him.

The actor has been convicted and sentenced to undergo one year rigorous imprisonment in one case while two others are pending.

Earlier, Mr Dhawan, appearing for Salman Khan, had pleaded that the statement of the witness (driver) would prejudice the trial pending against his client in other cases.

The court, however, countered: ''What prejudice can be caused to you?'' UNI AKS-SC VJ JN DS1316