A local court Monday issued summonsto Salman Khan and a police officer to appear on December 27to answer charges of giving false information and producingwrong witnesses as a result of which the trial in ahit-and-run case involving the actor was delayed by aroundfive years.
The summons was issued by the Additional ChiefMetropolitan Magistrate of the ninth court at suburban Bandrawho heard a complaint filed by social worker Santosh Daundkar.
The complaint alleged that on the basis of falseinformation given by the police, a wrong set of doctors wereexamined in court during the trial. As these doctors werenot concerned with the case, they were either discharged orwere not examined, and as a result, the trial was delayed.
The complaint also urged the court to order an inquiryinto the charges of deliberately giving false information as aresult of which the trial was unnecessary delayed. It alsosaid that giving false information to the court was an offenceand this was done by the police at the behest of the actor.
The complaint further alleged that even after thecourt directed that correct medical officers concerned beproduced as witnesses, the police once again submitted falseinformation about the medical officers.
This was allegedly done to delay the trial so as tofavour the actor who earned pecuniary gains by giving hits inBollywood such as "Dabang", "Ready", "Bodyguard" and "Ek ThaTiger" besides the "Big Boss" television show, the complaintalleged.
Summons have been issued to Salman and a seniorInspector of the Bandra police station.
On September 28, 2002, Salman Khan's Toyota Land Cruiser had rammed into a bakery in suburban Bandra, killingone and injuring four others who were sleeping on a pavement.
The actor was booked on a charge of culpable homicide,not amounting to murder. However, he said that it was merelyan accident and he did not have any intention to kill anyone.
The Bombay High Court had held that Section 304 partII of the Indian Penal Code (culpable homicide not amountingto murder) was not applicable in the case and that the actorbe tried under Section 304 A of the Indian Penal Code (rashand negligent driving) and other relevant sections.
The court had framed charges against the actor underSection 304 A of the Indian Penal Code (rash and negligentdriving), Section 279 (rash driving), Section 337 (causingminor injuries), Section 338 (causing major injuries) andSection 427 (negligence).
Earlier this year, the police had again sought thatthe actor be tried for more the serious charge of 'culpablehomicide not amounting to murder'. The application is stillpending.
The prosecution has examined 11 witnesses ever sincethe trial began in 2005. However, two witnesses, RavindraPatil, his police bodyguard, and Ramasray Pandey who witnessedthe incident, turned hostile.