The Mumbai Sessions court will frame charges against Bollywood actor Salman Khan in 2002 hit-and-run case on July 24. The court on Friday directed him to appear before the court, which will be the start of a fresh trial against him.
Last month, the sessions judge UB Hejib had upheld the metropolitan court’s order that the offence of culpable homicide not amounting to murder was made out against Mr. Khan. Mr. Hejib had dismissed the actor’s appeal against the verdict and asked him to appear before the court. Mr. Khan can face a jail term up to 10 years if he is found guilty.
Mr. Khan appeared in the court on Friday along with his two sisters Arpita and Alvira. He was asked to sit alone on the bench for the entire proceedings of the court.
The actor had earlier been tried by a metropolitan magistrate for a lesser offence of causing death by negligence (Section 304 A of IPC), which provides for a maximum sentence of two years.
The trial in the sessions court would start afresh as the Bandra metropolitan court had halted the proceedings midway after examining 17 witnesses, ruling that the more serious charge of culpable homicide was made out against the actor. An offence under the charge of culpable homicide can be tried by a sessions court.
Activist Santosh Daundkar on Friday moved an application to the court seeking permission to intervene in the trial. While another application was moved by actor’s counsel for restraining the media from maligning the actor. Justice Hejib has reserved the order on both the applications till July 24.
