Actor’s lawyers did not present facts to HC: Public prosecutor

Special public prosecutor Pradeep Gharat alleged that the lawyers of actor Salman Khan did not present the facts correctly before the Bombay high court.

Special public prosecutor Pradeep Gharat alleged that the lawyers of actor Salman Khan did not present the facts correctly before the Bombay high court.

On Wednesday, when Khan’s advocates moved the high court, they had contended that the trial court had not given them a copy of the order and pleaded for interim relief.

Gharat alleged the actor was immediately given a copy of the operative part of the order, detailing the sentence he was awarded. A 240-page order was given to him by evening.

“An attempt was made to show that mandatory provision of the law, to supply the copy of the order free of cost to the convict, was not followed by the judge, but that was false,” Gharat told Hindustan Times.

“The court had pronounced the actor guilty by 11:10am. The defence and I then argued over the quantum of sentence, which took another hour. The court later took time to incorporate the arguments and reasoning for the sentence. However, a power cut delayed work. Hence, Khan was given the detailed copy late. These facts were not told to the high court while obtaining bail,” Gharat alleged.

Gharat was appointed as special public prosecutor only after the depositions of 12 witnesses were recorded by the court. “It was not an easy task, but I focused on the facts that were admitted by the actor. I studied the evidence of the witnesses and learned the strategy of the defence,” he said.

Gharat said there were issues in the trial, as there was gap of nearly 13 years. He said many witnesses had left the city. “It was difficult to trace them and after so many years, and their statements were bound to be inconsistent. There were gaps in the investigation, but the police officers were honest, and they had made great efforts to prove the case,” he said.

Gharat said the job of the prosecution became easier after the defence chose to examine driver Ashok Singh as a witnesses after so many years. “It was easy for us to prove that he could not be relied on. The court considered that as well,” Gharat said.