2002 hit-n-run case: Salman Khan denies driving car, drinking

Mumbai, March 27

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Calling the evidence against him in the hit-and-run case false, Bollywood actor Salman Khan told the trial court on Friday that he was not driving the car that killed on person and injured four others in Bandra in 2002.

 The 49-year-old actor claimed that his driver, Ashok Singh, was behind the wheel and also rejected the prosecution's charge that he was drunk at the time of the incident.

 "My driver, Ashok Singh, was driving the car when the mishap occurred," Khan said in reply to a question posed by Judge DW Deshpande.

 Khan, who was summoned to make a statement on the evidence adduced against him in the court during the trial, was asked over 400 questions by the Judge.

Khan's car had rammed into a bakery shop in suburban Bandra in the wee hours of September 28, 2002, killing one person and injuring four others who were sleeping on the pavement.

Khan claimed that evidence against him was false and denied drinking a bar where he had gone with his friends and brother Sohail Khan just before the mishap.

 "I was having a glass of water at the bar," he said in reply to a question.

 The actor also said that Bala Shankar, who had tested Khan's blood sample, was not an expert, responding to deposition of the witness who had told the court earlier that 62mg alcohol was found in Khan's blood sample, above the permissible limit.

Khan claimed he had gone with his friends to a bar in suburban Juhu. Initially, another driver, Altaf was driving his Land Cruiser SUV, but Singh later joined them.

He also said that Ravindra Patil, his police bodyguard at the time who died during the trial, was not the eyewitness as claimed by the prosecution.

"At that time, he was sleeping," Khan said.

The actor, however, admitted that the car had run over some people sleeping outside the shop.

 He also denied that having fled the site of the accident.

 "I was there at least for 15 minutes and had told my driver to inform the police and help the injured in getting admitted to hospital."

 The actor said he left after his neighbour, Francis, who came soon after the accident, advised him to do so but instructed his driver to take the injured to the hospital.

The court allowed Khan to examine defence witnesses from March 30.

In another development, the court restrained the media from broadcasting panel discussions or interviews on the merits or demerits of the case.

Khan's statement comes at the fag end of the trial after the prosecution closed its evidence by examining more than 25 witnesses in court.

This is a fresh trial being held in a sessions court after a Magistrate added the charge of culpable homicide not amounting to murder which lays down punishment up to ten years.

The actor also faces charges of causing death by negligent driving (sec 279), causing hurt to persons by act endangering personal safety (section 337) and causing damage to property (section 427) as well as under the Motor Vehicles Act and Bombay Prohibition Act. — PTI