Salman wants to be heard when Maharashtra’s plea is taken up

The appeal alleged that Salman Khan was under the influence of liquor and did not have a driving licence.

Salman Khan on Thursday moved a caveat petition in the Supreme Court, requesting to be heard when the criminal appeal filed by the Maharashtra government challenging a Bombay High Court judgment acquitting him in the 2002 hit-and-run case comes up for hearing.

The government on Friday last challenged the High Court’s decision in the case of September 28, 2002 when the actor allegedly drove his car over five persons, of which one was killed, sleeping on a platform in Mumbai.

The appeal alleged that Mr. Khan was under the influence of liquor and did not have a driving licence. “The High Court erred in brushing aside the alcohol examination certificate and the evidence of the assistant chemical analyser just because there was some alleged delay in taking the blood samples,” the State government contended. It said the High Court got carried away by a fact that on September 30, 2002, the blood was sent to the chemical analyser which was tested on October 1, 2002.

“The evidence of the chemical analyser makes it clear that there would be no change in the result as the blood samples were preserved properly. It needs to be seen that 28.9.2002 was a Saturday and 29.9.2002 was Sunday. Both were holidays. Therefore, the blood samples were sent on 30.9.2002,” it explained.

In December 2015, the High Court quashed an order by the Sessions Court convicting Mr. Khan to five years of rigorous imprisonment.