Salman Khan Hit&Run case: Court allows statements of dead bodyguard

The Mumbai Session court has permitted the prosecution to rely on the Salman Khan‘s deceased bodyguard Ravindra Patil’s statement in the ongoing Hit & Run Case in which a pavement dweller was killed and four others were injured in Bandra in the early morning of September 28, 2002.. Patil was a witness to the 2002 accident. Along with Patil the statement of a medico who performed the autopsy on the accident victim was also permitted. Patil, a police bodyguard, died in October 2007 due to natural causes when the trial was underway before the magistrate court, while Sanap, the doctor who performed the autopsy, lives in the US.

The late Patil had earlier recorded his statement before a magistrate, which the prosecution demanded should be taken on record in the ongoing fresh trial of culpable homicide not amounting to murder against Salman Khan. Patil in his statement had said that, he was sitting next to Salman Khan and warned him against rash-driving but the actor did not heed the advice. Later, he lodged the police complaint after the accident.

Judge D.W. Deshpande allowed the prosecution and defence to file their replies on Patil’s statement and said Salman Khan would be granted an opportunity to cross-examine the investigation officer. Salman Khan’s lawyer Shrikant Shivade had opposed prosecutor Pradeep Gharat’s application, contending it would be prejudicial to his client.

We shall keep you updated on this soon.