Mumbai: Salman Khan did not wait for the police, went home and hid himself, observed Mumbai sessions court judge DW Deshpande in his judgement on Wednesday, that holds the Bollywood mega star guilty on all charges against him in a 2002 hit-and-run case.
One person was killed and four were injured when Salman Khan’s Toyota Land Cruiser mounted a pavement where a group of homeless men were asleep in front of a bakery in upscale Bandra West, about 200 metres from the actor’s home, 13 years ago.
The judge, who has sentenced Salman Khan to five years in prison for culpable homicide and other charges, said in his 240-page judgement, “The accused did not wait for police on the spot…Instead of visiting police station, the accused went to his house and till 10.30 a.m. he hid himself…If really the accused did not commit any wrong, he could have visited the police station immediately and lodged the information about the incident. (sic)”
The judge also noted that Salman Khan, a “renowned film actor,” did not take “any positive steps by visiting hospital to see the injured and provide medical aid to them.” He observed that by “hiding himself till he is arrested, this itself shows the conduct of the accused.”
The judge said, “I find that it is established beyond reasonable doubt by prosecution that, accused was driving the vehicle at the time of the accident.” And also that Salman Khan’s submission that his driver Ashok Singh was driving the car “is discarded from consideration.”
Last month, Ashok Singh told the court that he was driving the car. In its judgement, the court has described Ashok Singh as a “got up witness who has come to help the accused on the instruction of Salim Khan, the father of the accused.”
The Judge said Mr Khan was drunk and did not have his driver’s licence with him.
Salman Khan has applied for bail in the Mumbai High Court, which will hear his petition tomorrow. Yesterday, it gave him interim bail for two days as he was yet to get a copy of the judgement
