Hit-and-run case: Salman had no license when accident took place?

Mumbai, Feb 16: Bollywood star Salman Khan did not possess a driving license when his car met with an accident in 2002, an officer at Regional Transport Office (RTO) on Monday informed the Sessions court hearing the hit-and-run case.

The witness, who is an assistant inspector at RTO, told Session Judge D W Deshpande that the actor had obtained driving license only in 2004 and did not have the license when the incident took place.

The witness produced the records of the actor's driving license before the court when he was examined by Public Prosecutor Pradeep Gharat.

Another witness who is a police sub-inspector told the court that he had accompanied Salman to J J hospital for blood test. The witness said that the actor was taken to doctor Shashikant Pawar for the blood test to find out whether he had consumed alcohol.

These two witnesses were examined today in the trial court which is conducting hearing on a day-to-day basis. More than 20 witnesses have already been examined and a few more are left.

On September 28, 2002, the actor's car rammed into a bakery in suburban Bandra, killing one person and injuring four others sleeping outside.

The case, dragging on for over a decade, took a twist when a city Magistrate, after examining 17 witnesses, held that the charge of culpable homicide not amounting to murder was made out against 49-year-old actor, and referred the case to the sessions court.

The charge of culpable homicide attracts a 10-year sentence. Earlier the charge against Salman was causing death by negligence, which entails imprisonment of up to two years.

PTI