2002 hit-and-run case: Court asked Salman Khan to present at next hearing

A Mumbai trial court has asked Bollywood actor Salman Khan to present himself at the next hearing of the 2002 hit-and-run case, which is on March 12 and 13.

"The next date is on 12th and 13th fixed for the evidence of the investigating officers. The court has directed the accused to remain present before the court," public prosecutor Pradeep Gharat told media here.

"[The complainant] Ravindra Patil has given the entire account of the movement of the accused on that day to which hotels he visited. He had said that he was drunk and subsequently has said that he was warning him not to drive fast so the appreciation of that evidence will be a matter of appreciation by the honourable court," he added.

Public prosecutor Gharat also said that the Prosecution had made an application before the honourable court praying that the evidence which have been previously recorded of the complainant Ravindra Himmat Rao Patil be taken on record.

"In the present proceeding also, we got that evidence is vital to decide the prosecution case. So, the honourable court is pleased to observe today that the said evidence can be relied upon by both the parties for conducting the examination and cross-examination of the next witnesses [investigating officers] and thereafter when an opportunity will be given to the accused to explain the circumstances which appear against the accused, the questions will be asked to the accused about that evidence and finally when the issue will be decided at that time only the court will decide as to in the ambit of which section the appreciation of the said evidence will follow," he added.

On March 3, the court rejected the prosecution's plea for the actor to produce his driving licence in connection with the case. Earlier, a Regional Transport officer had deposed in court, saying that Khan did not possess a driving licence when his car met with an accident in 2002.

Khan is accused of culpable homicide not amounting to murder in the hit-and-run case, a charge that carries a maximum penalty of ten years in prison.

He has been booked under Section 304 A of the Indian Penal Code (rash and negligent driving), 279 (rash driving), 337 (causing minor injuries), 338 (causing major injuries) and 427 (negligence) in regard to the 2002 case.

His trial began in Bandra Magistrate Court in Maharashtra in 2006. The actor was earlier being tried on the charge of death by negligence which carries a maximum prison term of two years.