Salman to remain in jail

Film star Salman Khan, an accused in a hit and run accident, was refused bail for the second time by the Metropolitan Magistrate S.M. Sisode who remanded him to judicial custody until October 21.

As the actor entered the Bandra court yesterday morning, he seemed like a chastised and changed man following a week's stay in jail.

Oblivious to the arguments of his defence counsel, Khan seemed to recite prayers as did his parents, brother Arbaaz and sister, including film actor Atul Agnihotri who was present in the court.

Making a frantic plea bail, Khan's lawyer Abad Ponda argued that the police did not oppose the bail and moreover, the actor was prepared to co-operate and attend police investigations.

The magistrate, however, told him that that the offence allegedly committed was a grave one and could be tried exclusively by a sessions court and hence he had no powers to grant bail. Khan has been charged with culpable homicide not amounting to murder.

Sisode also said that though police interrogation had been completed, the investigation was still underway and the charges yet to be filed. Under the circumstances, his court would not be the competent authority to grant bail.

The actor did not even concentrate on the argument and there was no reaction when his bail was rejected. It is expected that his lawyer would appeal to the sessions court which would remain closed today on the occasion of Dussehra, a Hindu festival.

It is likely that the actor who has spent the past few days in the jail at the police headquarters would now be transferred to Arthur Road Jail, where Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt spent two years in the bomb blasts case.

Meanwhile, Joint Commissioner of Police Ahmed Javed has submitted a report on the accident to the state home ministry.

Following public and media uproar over the accident, especially since the police conducted a medical test for alcohol consumption at least 12 hours after the incident, Deputy Chief Minister Chhagan Bhujbal had asked Javed to prepare a report.

The contents of the report have not been revealed though it is likely that the non-performance of senior officers could be pointed out.

When Bhujbal was asked at a press conference yesterday why the police was concentrating on only Khan's accident even though another hit and run accident had occurred in Bandra causing the death of one person, he replied, "We have already taken action."