‘Actor had no intention to kill’

Actor Salman Khan on Thursday filed his reply to the prosecution’s application to book him under charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder in the 2002 hit-and-run case. HT reports.

Actor Salman Khan on Thursday filed his reply to the prosecution’s application to book him under charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder in the 2002 hit-and-run case.

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The court is likely to hear the arguments on April 13.

The reply came a fortnight after the prosecution sought to enhance the charges levelled against the actor.

On March 14, the prosecution had filed an application in the metropolitan magistrate’s court at Bandra seeking to book Salman under charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder in addition to other charges levelled against the actor.

“For charging someone for culpable homicide not amounting to murder, both knowledge and intention are required,” Salman’s lawyer Dipesh Mehta said, adding, “Salman neither had the knowledge nor the intention to kill anyone.”

The actor was initially charged under culpable homicide not amounting to murder but the charges were dropped after a Bombay high court order.

The high court had held that Section 304 part II of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) was not applicable in the case and the actor be tried under 304A of the IPC for rash and negligent driving and other relevant sections.

The prosecution has sought to enhance the charges against Khan on basis of the apex court’s verdict and relying on testimony of some of the witnesses.

On September 28, 2002, Salman’s Toyota Land Cruiser rammed into a bakery in Bandra killing one and injuring four persons, who were sleeping on the pavement.