New Delhi: A key witness is likely to depose in court today in relation to the 2002 hit-and-run case involving Bollywood actor Salman Khan. The witness identified as a former JJ Hospital doctor, had taken the actor's blood sample for alcohol testing.
Earlier, the doctor had appealed for police protection, without citing any particular reason behind it. However, he was asked to submit his application in written. But, no written request was made by the witness.
In December 2013, the court ordered a fresh trial in the case on the grounds of having charged the actor with culpable homicide not amounting to murder, instead of rash and negligent driving.
On January 08, 2015, the sessions court had rejected prosecution's plea to re-examine an RTO officer who had carried out inspection of the actor's car after the incident in 2002.
Public Prosecutor Pradeep Gharat had sought re-examination of R S Ketkar, who worked with Regional Transport Office in 2002, on the ground that he had given "vague and evasive" answers to Khan's lawyer Srikant Shivade during the cross-examination and certain clarifications were needed to be brought on court's record.
Judge D W Deshpande, however, rejected the application after the defence objected to it. Shivade argued the prosecution wanted to bring new facts on record on the pretext of re-examination and it may cause prejudice to the accused (Khan).
(With PTI Inputs)
