Salman Khan says he wasn't driving or drunk during 2002 accident
Salman Khan denies driving or having been drunk the night of the 'unfortunate' accident.
Salman Khan could be looking up to 10 yrs in prison if found guilty. PHOTO: Indian Express
Facing multiple charges, Bollywood “bad boy” Salman Khan has denied that he was driving under influence on the night of the 2002 accident that killed a pavement dweller and left four others injured.
Accompanied by his sisters, Arpita and Alvira and a personal bodyguard, Salman was presented in front of the judge for a final testimony in the retrial of the case before the final arguments begin.
According to Times of India, the actor, who has been charged with culpable homicide recorded a statement on Friday morning denying that he was driving under the influence of alcohol and that evidence placed against him was “false”.
He further testified that his driver Ashok Singh was driving that night and said at the beginning of his deposition, “the accident was not caused by me sir”. Although Salman Khan’s bodyguard and chief witness constable Ravindra Patil had claimed to have seen him step out of his Toyota Land Cruiser from the driver’s seat after the incident, Khan’s justification was, "My left door was jammed so I couldn't open it". Ravindra Patil later died in mysterious circumstances in a Mumbai hospital in 2007.
Salman didn’t deny that he had been to the bar with his brother and a few friends that night, but he claims that he did not drink and showed bills to prove that he had only ordered water. The manager of the liquor bar identified that the actor had come to his bar but was not sure if he had had any drinks. Similarly, the waiter who served Salman’s table did not notice whether the Kick actor was drinking or not.
Under the Indian Penal Code if the Bollywood star is found guilty of the charges placed against him, he will be looking at 10 years in jail.
Accompanied by his sisters, Arpita and Alvira and a personal bodyguard, Salman was presented in front of the judge for a final testimony in the retrial of the case before the final arguments begin.
According to Times of India, the actor, who has been charged with culpable homicide recorded a statement on Friday morning denying that he was driving under the influence of alcohol and that evidence placed against him was “false”.
He further testified that his driver Ashok Singh was driving that night and said at the beginning of his deposition, “the accident was not caused by me sir”. Although Salman Khan’s bodyguard and chief witness constable Ravindra Patil had claimed to have seen him step out of his Toyota Land Cruiser from the driver’s seat after the incident, Khan’s justification was, "My left door was jammed so I couldn't open it". Ravindra Patil later died in mysterious circumstances in a Mumbai hospital in 2007.
Salman didn’t deny that he had been to the bar with his brother and a few friends that night, but he claims that he did not drink and showed bills to prove that he had only ordered water. The manager of the liquor bar identified that the actor had come to his bar but was not sure if he had had any drinks. Similarly, the waiter who served Salman’s table did not notice whether the Kick actor was drinking or not.
Under the Indian Penal Code if the Bollywood star is found guilty of the charges placed against him, he will be looking at 10 years in jail.