Hit and run case: Bombay HC defers Salman Khan's case to July 13

Mumbai, July 1: Bombay High Court, on Wednesday, adjourned hearing in Bollywood superstar Salman Khan in connection with 2002 hit and run case till July 13.

Earlier on June 15, ordering expeditious completion of case papers, the High Court had adjourned it till July 1 a criminal appeal filed by the Bollywood actor against his conviction in the hit-and-run case in which he has been awarded a five-year jail sentence.

When the case came up for hearing, Justice AR Joshi was then informed by Salman's lawyer Amit Desai that the 'paper book' (compilation of evidence and documents which is served to both the sides by the court) was not complete.

The judge then ordered that this task should be expeditiously completed and deferred the matter till July 1. On behalf of the Maharashtra government, Chief Public Prosecutor SS Shinde appeared and consented to the date fixed for the next hearing. Salman did not come to the court.

His sister Alvira was, however, present. The HC had on May 8 stayed the execution of the 5-year sentence awarded to 49-year-old Salman in the 13-year-old case and granted him bail while admitting his appeal.

Salman was convicted by a sessions court on May 6 and sentenced to five years' imprisonment on various counts, including 'culpable homicide not amounting to murder'.

A man was killed and four others were wounded when the actor's Toyota Land Cruiser ran over them while they were asleep on a pavement outside a bakery in suburban Bandra on September 28, 2002.

Salman has challenged the findings of the trial court that he was drunk and was driving under the influence of liquor. The actor pleaded that the trial court had wrongly convicted him under the culpable homicide charge, because he had no knowledge that he would meet with an accident.

OneIndia News