New Delhi: Salman Khan’s acquittal in a 2002 hit-and-run case is a miscarriage of justice, the Maharashtra government argued in the Supreme Court on Friday and sought reversal of the Bombay High Court’s order.
Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for the State described as “perverse” and travesty of justice the High Court order in December last, overturning the trail court’s verdict sentencing him to five years imprisonment.
Tracing through the history of the case, the A-G submitted before a Bench of Justices J.S. Khehar and C. Nagappan that Salman Khan had consumed liquor and was drunk, he was driving the Land Cruiser which killed a person sleeping on the pavement. He knew he should not be driving under the influence of alcohol,” Mr Rohatgi said.
He also said the theory that the car was being driven by Mr Khan’s driver, who surfaced after 13 years, should be discarded. He pointed that for 13 years, his family had maintained that the driver was at home when the incident occurred.
In May last, a trial court had ruled that the actor was guilty of running over a man sleeping on the pavement outside a bakery in Mumbai after a night out drinking on September 28, 2002.
The HC quashed the order holding that the prosecution had failed to establish reasonable beyond doubt that the actor was driving and was drunk at the time of the accident.
