Salman hit and run case: Defence lawyer says actor's blood samples were tampered with

New Delhi, April 16: Debunking all the claims of prosecution, who tried his best to prove Salman Khan guilty in 2002 hit and run case, the Defence lawyer on Wednesday alleged that Mumbai police "tampered with" the Bollywood actor's blood samples to establish he was drunk.

Actor's lawyer Shrikant Shivade further accused police of framing actor in a false case. Shivade argued that Bombay Prohibition Rules prescribe that a doctor has to decide whether to draw a blood sample from a person, and not the police.

Khan, accused of ramming his SUV into a bakery in suburban Bandra on September 28, 2002, killing one person and injuring four others, is facing the charge of 'culpable homicide not amounting to murder'.

"In this case, Shashikant Pawar of J J hospital has deposed that police asked him to test the sample... This shows an unholy nexus between the doctors and police," said Shivade, making his final argument before sessions judge D W Deshpande.

He also asked why Bandra police did not collect the blood samples at nearby Bhabha Hospital, instead of taking Khan to the government-run JJ Hospital in South Mumbai.

"There is a mention that blood collection facility was not available there. Is this possible? Bhabha Hospital is a reputed hospital. It has an operation theatre and an ICU," Shivade said.

The doctor who drew the sample was not wearing gloves, and he did not add anti-coagulants, which are used to prevent the collected blood from turning into semi-solid mass. Even the preservatives were not added, and in the absence of preservatives, there was a possibility of fermentation of the blood, Shivade said.

What had prosecution said?

Earlier, Prosecution argued to prove to Salman Khan guilty in 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. Prosecution earlier informed court that the Bollywood star was indeed under the influence of alcohol. Gharat cited evidence for the same.

OneIndia News

(With inputs from agency)