Salman Khan was not found at his home when a police team went for him soon after the 2002 hit and run accident involving his Land Cruiser, a police officer said here on Thursday. The first Investigating Officer of the case told the court here that his team went to the actor's house soon after an FIR was registered against him in the early hours of September 28, 2002.
"His house was at Galaxy apartments, barely 200 meters away from the accident spot," Rajendra Kadam told sessions court judge D.W. Deshpande.
The FIR was registered on the basis of complaint filed by constable Ravindra Patil, who was then Salman's body guard. He had said in his complaint that the actor was driving the car at the time of the accident.
Mr Kadam said that he rushed to the accident spot soon after he received a call about the accident. When he reached there, the first thing he had to do was to rescue constable Patil, he said.
As the irate mob was pushing the constable who was waiting at the spot, the policemen who reached there, first rescued him from the mob. "We then sent the injured to the hospital," he said.
"I saw that a white Land Cruiser had rammed American Express bakery and had climbed three stairs. It's number plate was lying on the spot."
Mr Kadam said that he saw five persons "entangled and trapped beneath the car" when he reached the spot. One of them was dead. Of the remaining four, two were severely injured and two had sustained minor injuries.
"It wasn't possible to remove them without lifting the car with the help of a crane," he said. The injured were taken to Bhabha hospital, where two of the victims who had sustained minor injuries were discharged after preliminary treatment.
Mr Kadam said that inspection of the vehicle showed blood on the left front tyre of the car. "As the tyre was burst, there was blood on the wheel base too," he said. He seized the papers of the vehicle and its keys, and labelled them.
The officer identified pieces of evidence produced before him in the court. They included blood-stained soil sample, pieces of fibre glass, white front bumper of the car involved in the accident. He also identified the spot panchnama prepared by him.
During his cross-examination conducted by Salman's lawyer Shrikant Shivade, Mr Kadam said that he arrived at the accident spot at 2.50 am and conducted panchnama between 3.05 am and 4.20 am.
He also said that though the ignition key was in the car, he did not try to start the engine either at the spot or later at the police station. The car was brought to the police station with the help of a crane.
Mr Shivade will continue to cross-examine Mr Kadam on Friday.
