Bollywood stars to reappear as witnesses

Mumbai, Aug 11 (UNI) Bollywood stars Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Chunkey Pandey and Pooja Bhatt are likely to reappear in a local court as witnesses in the Gulshan Kumar murder case.

In 2002, Additional Sessions Judge M L Tahiliyani had sentenced Abdul Rauf Daud Merchant to life imprisonment for killing Gulshan Kumar at Jeet Nagar, Juhu in North West Mumbai on August 12, 1997, and acquitted 18 others from all charges due to lack of evidence.

Merchant had fled from the scene after robbing a taxi.

Judge Tahiliyani convicted Merchant under Section 302 (murder), Section 307 (attempt to murder), Section 392 (robbery) and Section 397 (robbery with an intention to cause death) of Indian Penal Code.

Prosecution today submitted a list of 205 witnesses in the case including Bollywood actors Shah Rukh Khan, Salman Khan, Chunkey Pandey and Pooja Bhatt, said defence advocate Raja Thakur.

The prosecution had earlier filed the chargesheet against approver Mohammed Ali Shaikh alias Mohammed Chacha, who turned hostile during the trial, and another absconding accused Mohammed Qayum Abdul Sheikh, who was arrested about a year ago.

Additional Sessions Judge of Sewri court A Trivedi has adjourned the matter till August 25.

Among the acquitted included Abdul Rashid Daud Merchant (an alleged assassin), Fatima Daud Merchant, Javed Kalia, Rafiq Ansari, Rafiq Falke, Imtiaz Merchant, Adil Khan, Aftab Alam Ershad Khan, Jaffer Sharif, Faiyaz Ahmed Chougale, Feroz Khan, Wasim alias Babuji, Abdul Mohammed Khan, Sabir Ali Mazhar Hussain, Abdul Kavi Mohammed Idris Shaikh and Mohammed Azam Abdul Kavi Shaikh.

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