A doctor with the State-run J.J. Hospital, who had collected actor Salman Khan’s blood samples after the 2002 hit-and-run case, has sought police protection.
The doctor, who is to depose before the court on January 22, made the plea through Special Public Prosecutor Pradeep Gharat on Monday. He, however, did not cite any reason.
The court directed him to give a written application. “But he does not want to give it in writing,” Mr. Gharat told The Hindu .
Meanwhile, the regular hearing of the matter was adjourned to January 22, after the defence team informed the court that Salman’s lawyer Shrikant Shivade was unwell and could not attend the proceedings.
On January 22, the court will record statements of the police constable who took the actor to the hospital from Bandra police station and the doctor who collected his blood sample at J.J. Hospital.
Earlier, a forensic expert told the court that he found double the permissible level of alcohol content in Mr. Salman’s blood sample. But the defence said there was no clarity on the number of samples collected.