Salman Khan is one actor who seems destiny’s favorite child where it comes to both fame and success on the one hand and notoriety brought about by his imbroglios with the law on the other hand. He is still braving the ghost of his infamous 2002 hit-and-run case. The hearing in this case which was scheduled for Thursday has been adjourned and will be heard Friday. Most probably the decision in this long pending case will be given tomorrow. Producers, co stars, his family and fans are all praying for his release because the alternate is too horrifying to think about.
Earlier, a trial court here has rejected the prosecution’s plea asking Salman to produce his driving license in the court in connection with the case. The prosecution had appealed to the sessions court seeking that he submit his license. The purpose of asking for his license at that time is obviously to show that he – Salman Khan did not possess a driving license even at that time thus compounding the felonies he can be charged with. If it can be proved that he was driving at that time. ( Saslman Khan has denied it) But the plea was rejected.
“The application is not maintainable under the provisions of Indian Evidence Act as the court cannot force the accused to produce the driving license,” pronounced Judge DW Deshpande orally in the operative part of the order.
Gold Rate
06 June 2025
The accused can produce the license at an appropriate stage if he so desires, said the judge, adding that, at this stage, the evidence is nearly over and hence the court cannot give a direction for producing the document.
Special Public Prosecutor Pradeep Gharat argued that Khan did not possess a license when his car ran over people sleeping on a pavement in suburban Bandra on September 28, 2002, killing one person and injuring four.
He (Khan) obtained a driving license only in 2004, as per the record available with Regional Transport Office, said the prosecution.
His lawyer, Srikant Shivade, opposed the prosecution’s application, saying it was not maintainable.
Shivade said the prosecution’s application violated the fundamental right against exploitation enshrined in the Constitution as it had asked the accused to produce documents incriminating him. He argued that the prosecution should prove its case that Khan was not holding a driving license without asking him to produce it.
In February, an RTO official, a witness in the case, had said that the actor did not have his driving license on the ill-fated night the incident took place.
The RTO officer, gave this statement when asked by a sessions court on whether or not the 49-year-old actor had a valid license during the time when the incident took place.
One person died and four were injured when a car, allegedly driven by Khan, ran over them in suburban Bandra on September 28, 2002.
The prosecution’s case has been that Salman was driving at that time and lost control of his vehicle as he was intoxicated.
The actor’s defense has been to refute both charges – neither was he drunk, nor was he driving.
With the lapse of time the case against him has weakened with some key witnesses turning hostile.
