Mumbai,
A sessions court is all set to deliver its verdict tomorrow in the hit-and-run
case involving Bollywood actor Salman Khan, who is charged with killing one
person and injuring four by ramming his SUV into a bakery shop in suburban
Bandra 13 years ago.
Police have geared up to provide tight security in the court to
restrain the actor’s fans from entering the premises with a view to avoiding
overcrowding, sessions court sources said. Only mediapersons, lawyers and the
court staff would be allowed inside the court, the sources said.
Judge
D W Deshpande had declared last month that he would pronounce the verdict on
May 6. He also summoned the actor to remain present in the court at 11.15 AM on
the day. The prosecution and defence concluded arguments on April 21 in the
trial which was conducted afresh after a Magistrate added the charge of
culpable homicide not amounting to murder and referred the case to the sessions
court.
The
culpable homicide offence, which provides for punishment upto 10 years, is
triable by a sessions court and not by a magistrate. Earlier, the magistrate
was trying Khan for rash and negligent driving, an offence under IPC which
attracts punishment upto two years.
Khan,
49, pleaded he was not driving the car at the time of mishap and that his
driver Ashok Singh was behind the wheel. This has been corroborated by Singh
who appeared as defence witness. However, prosecution led by Pradeep Gharat
alleged that Khan was driving after consuming ‘Bacardi Rum’ in a bar. The
actor, on the other hand, argued he was having a glass of water and not
alcohol. While prosecution pleaded that there were three persons in the car —
Salman, his police bodyguard Ravindra Patil and singer friend Kamal Khan, the
actor argued that there was a fourth person and he was Ashok Singh. (Source- www.newsroompost.com)
एक टिप्पणी भेजें