The Bombay High Court noted on Thursday that the prosecution had failed to establish beyond reasonable doubt that actor Salman Khan was driving and was under the influence of alcohol on September 28, 2002.
Justice A.R. Joshi recorded, “Prosecution has not recorded evidence of crucial witnesses and that there are several omissions and contradictions in the testimonies recorded of the injured. The court had also taken note on anomalies in procedures for drawing the actor’s blood.”
One of the injured had claimed that he had seen the actor coming out from the right side of the car while the bodyguard from the left side. The other claimed that he saw Salman falling down twice, getting up and leaving the scene. The third injured claimed that he had seen Salman come out of the driver's side of the car. However, he did not know whether it was a right-wheel drive or a left-wheel drive car. The fourth injured claimed that he had seen the actor on the spot, however, he had not said anything on who is on the right side or left side.
Meanwhile, Chief Public Prosecutor Sandeep Shinde, the man who led the prosecution, asked, “The question remains that an innocent man was killed and four others have been injured. Who is responsible for that?” and added, “What kind of message are we giving out to society? Are we saying that any one in a high-profile case can come and hijack the system?
“How can the court believe that Ashok Singh was driving the car after 13 years of the accident and the employer continues to have him in service after defaming him?” The state will go in appeal to the Supreme Court.
COMMents
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