Salman Khan was driving under influence, prosecution asserts

The prosecution in the 2002 accident case involving Salman Khan on Thursday tied up its case by reiterating that the actor was drunk when the Toyota Land Cruiser he was driving rammed into a bakery in Bandra, Mumbai, killing one person and injuring four others.

Bombay High Court judge A.R. Joshi, who is hearing Salman’s appeal against his conviction and a five-year jail term by the sessions court awarded last May, is likely to give his verdict soon.

“We have produced credible witnesses to establish that Salman Khan had consumed alcohol at the Rain Bar & Restaurant before going to JW Marriot Hotel. While returning from there, he dashed his vehicle near the A1-Bakery — it was he who is responsible for the mishap,” chief public prosecutor and government pleader Sandeep Shinde said in his remarks as he wrapped up his case.

Defence lawyer Amit Desai argued that there have been several discrepancies in the case right from the beginning.

“The prosecution has presented false witnesses, which is why most of them turned slippery at some point in the trial,” he said.

In May this year, Salman was convicted for culpable homicide not amounting to murder, besides several other offences, and sentenced to five years jail, against which he filed the present appeal in the high court.