Dubbing the driver of superstar Salman Khan as a “liar” for telling the court that he was driving the car and not the actor when it rammed into a bakery shop in September 2002 killing one person, the prosecution today sought action against him (the driver) for giving false evidence.
“Ashok Singh is liable to be prosecuted for perjury (giving false evidence on oath) as there are circumstances to suggest that he was telling a lie,” argued prosecutor Pradeep Gharat as the actor sat in the front row keenly hearing him.
The actor was called today to appear in person as the prosecution had last time made a grievance that Khan was not present in the court during final arguments. Sessions Judge D W Deshpande has again summoned him tomorrow when prosecution would sum up its arguments.
Attired in blue denim jeans and an offwhite shirt, 49-year-old Khan came to the court unshaven and occupied a chair next to that of his sister Alvira Khan. He got up twice to offer seat to his secretary who had also come for the hearing held in a jam-packed courtroom.
It is the prosecution’s case that Salman had rammed his car into the shop in the wee hours on September 28, 2002, resulting in the death of a person and injuries to four who were sleeping outside. It also alleged that he was drunk and was driving without a licence.
The prosecutor argued that the evidence of the actor’s driver should be discarded because his statement (that Salman Khan was not behind the wheel) had not been suggested by any witnesses. This piece of evidence had been introduced after the prosecution closed its case and the accused deposed before the court to give his statement under section 313 of Cr.Pc.
The prosecutor also described as a “lie” the actor’s statement to the court that he was just drinking a glass of water in the hotel where he had gone just before the mishap.
