Hit-and-run case: Salman Khan charged with culpable homicide after 11 years

Eleven years after he allegedly killed one person in a hit and run case, Salman Khan was today formally charged by a court with culpable homicide not amounting to murder. The actor has pleaded not guilty to the charges. He will now stand trial under a law pertaining to culpable homicide that could attract a jail term up to ten years. Apart from section 304(2) (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), the Bollywood superstar was also charged under sections 279 (causing death by negligence), 337 (causing hurt by an act), 338 (causing grievous hurt), 427 (causing damage or mischief to property) of IPC, and provisions of Motor Vehicles Act and Bombay Prohibition Act. [caption id=“attachment_981893” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Salman Khan has pleaded not guilty to the charges. PTI[/caption] Clad in a grey shirt and black trousers, Khan appeared before sessions Judge UB Hejib, who had on 19 July summoned him today for framing of charges for starting afresh the trial in the 11-year-old case. The actor moved an application seeking exemption from personal appearance during the trial which was granted.He was, however, directed to be present before the court whenever required. The actor’s lawyers also demanded that there should be restraints imposed on the media reporting on the trial. However, the judge said that media should exercise self restraint, reported Ibnlive.. Khan had earlier been tried by a metropolitan magistrate for a lesser offence of causing death by negligence (Section 304 A of IPC), which provides for a maximum sentence of two years. At the beginning of the proceedings, the judge expressed his inability to take up the case for framing the charges as he has been transferred. However, prosecutor Shankar Erande pleaded that charges should be framed today itself as the actor was going abroad for two months which could further delay the trial. The trial in a sessions court had to  start afresh after a metropolitan magistrate’s court had halted the proceedings midway after examining 17 witnesses, ruling that the more serious charge of culpable homicide was applicable against the actor. An offence under the charge of culpable homicide has to be tried by a sessions court. A man was killed and four others were injured when a Land Cruiser allegedly driven by Khan had ploughed through a group of people sleeping on the pavement outside a bakery in suburban Bandra in the wee hours of 28 September 2002. Khan was allegedly under the influence of alcohol at the time of the incident. with inputs from PTI