Salman Khan Hit & Run Trial – Witness claims receiving death threats

In a setback to Bollywood actor Salman Khan,  in the 2002 hit-and-run case. The three witnesses who deposed today – Manu Khan, Mohammed Kalim Iqbal Pathan and Muslim Shaikh , identified him in a sessions court saying they had seen him getting down from the car which had met with an accident in Bandra on September 28, 2002. 

But another development took place in which one of the witnesses who deposed today has lodged a complaint claiming that he had received a threatening call a few days back. Another witness Sheikh, has alleged that his former lawyer, Mukesh Pandey, tried to influence him to change his statement by offering him a bribe.

Pandey is said to have been instrumental in helping the victims, including Sheikh, to get compensation. He also reportedly helped them open bank accounts and stood guarantor for them.

As per sources, Sheikh said he received two calls from the same number and the unidentified caller told him, “Paanch lakh le lo aur palat jao” (take Rs. 5 lakh and change your statement). Sheikh refused the offer, the man called him again. This time, the witness disconnected the call. The next day Sheikh submitted a written complaint with the Bandra Police.

Senior police inspector Ramchandra Dhawale of Bandra police station said, “The SIM card from which the call was made, was registered in the name of Pandey, a High Court lawyer. We have received an order from the court to investigate the matter. We will appoint an inspector-level officer in the case, who will properly look into the matter and submit a report in the next hearing. The court will decide if an FIR is to be lodged.”

Sources added that, Advocate Mukesh Pandey pleaded innocence and said, “The police are playing games with me. I have not made any such calls. Also, I have no connections with Salman’s family. In fact, I had helped the cops trace the witness in the recent case. I gave an interview that all the witnesses are present in the court and the Bandra police is unwilling to trace them.”

The court is conducting a re-trial of the case, after charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder were added recently. The offence attracts a ten-year sentence. Salman Khan was present in the court accompanied by his sisters Alvira and Arpita Khan.