2002 hit-and-run case: HC to commence dictating Salman Khan's verdict on Monday

Salman Khan

Both the defence and the state's prosecutor have concluded their arguments in actor Salman Khan's 2002 hit-and-run case. From Monday, the Bombay High Court is likely to pass its order in the case, delivering the verdict by the end of next week.

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Salman Khan

Khan's five-year sentence, given by a Sessions court was suspended on May 9. The High Court has been hearing the case on a daily basis since July 30. The defence counsel took around 25 days for his argument, and the public prosecutor argued for the next eight days. Public prosecutor Sandeep Shinde, along with Purnima Kantharia, while concluding the case gave several examples of high-profile cases hit-and-run cases like the 1999 Sanjeev Nanda case and 2005 Alistair Periera case.

Shinde also told the court that drunk driving had become a menace. He mentioned that driving late at night while being drunk has turned into a lifestyle and the court needs to send a strong message to such people. The prosecution stuck to its statement of three people being present in the car - Salman Khan, his friend Kamaal Khan, and bodyguard Ravindra Patil. They also told justice A R Joshi that Salman's driver Ashok Singh was not driving the car, adding that Salman smelled of alcohol when he was taken for his tests.

Also read: HC dismisses Salman Khan's plea to summon Kamaal Khan as witness

Defence Counsel Amit Desai had, however, challenged the premise of the case by saying that there were several omissions and contradictions in the case. The prosecution did not examine Kamaal Khan, who was in the car at the time of the incident. They did not put Salman's brother Sohail in the box, though he is a prosecution witness.