A Mumbai Sessions court on Monday started a fresh trial in Bollywood actor Salman Khan’s hit-and-run case of 2002. The case was adjourned to January 7, 2014, as the investigating officer was not present. The prosecution was unable to furnish the evidence it proposes to rely on in the course of the trial.
On September 28, 2002, the actor allegedly fatally ran over a man sleeping on the pavement outside a bakery in suburban Bandra while driving a Land Cruiser. Four others were injured in the accident.
He was initially tried by a magistrate’s court for rash and negligent driving. However, in January, the court said he should be tried on the stronger charge of culpable homicide not amounting to murder. Since the lower court did not have the jurisdiction to try this charge, the case was transferred to the Sessions Court.
In July, the Sessions Court framed charges against Salman Khan for culpable homicide not amounting to murder, which attracts a jail term of up to 10 years. However, in November, the actor pleaded for the trial to start afresh since he was not given the opportunity to cross-examine witnesses in the magistrate’s court.
It was on the basis of the testimony of witnesses that the charge of culpable homicide not amounting to murder was invoked.
