Salman plea junked, killing charge sticks

Sessions judge UB Hejib on Monday upheld the order of a local magistrate court, invoking the charge of culpable homicide against actor Salman Khan in the 2002 hit-and-run case.

Sessions judge UB Hejib on Monday upheld the order of a local magistrate court, invoking the charge of culpable homicide against actor Salman Khan in the 2002 hit-and-run case.

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As per the prosecution case, one person was killed and four others, sleeping on a pavement in Bandra were injured when Khan’s SUV allegedly rammed into a bakery on the night of September 28, 2002.

The magistrate court at Bandra had on December 31 last year ordered to charge the actor for culpable homicide not amounting to murder along with other charges in the case. This entails 10 years in prison for Khan, if proven guilty.

Aggrieved, the actor moved the sessions court to set aside the magistrate court’s order.

He contended that the order was passed in hurry and the magistrate did not consider the cross examination of the prosecution witnesses.

But the sessions court, in a detailed order, rejected Khan’s contentions and upheld the order of the magistrate court.

It observed that the actor was warned by his bodyguard to drive slow as he was in drunken condition.

Yet he drove at 100 kmph, which resulted in mishap.

Khan has been given a month’s time to reappear in the court.