Framing of culpable homicide charge against Salman Khan likely on July 24

Actor Salman Khan leaves the sessions court after the hearing of his hit-and-run case on Friday. - Salman Ansari/DNA
Actor Salman Khan on Friday attended a sessions court hearing where he was informed that the court would likely frame charges against him on July 24, after it upheld a lower court’s order to enhance the rash driving charges to culpable homicide not amounting to murder.

While arguing the filing of charges, the counsel for state, advocate Shankar Erande pointed out to the court that the actor had full knowledge about the topography of the place where he was driving, but even then, he had been ignorant.

Advocate Erande maintained that at time of the accident, the actor had almost 60mg of alcohol in his blood, thus proving the prosecution’s case that the actor was under the influence of alcohol.

After the prosecution completed its arguments, Khan’s counsel, advocate Srikant Shivde, maintained that the case cannot be made out to be a case of culpable homicide.

“The court has already dealt with the charges. No case is made out under section 304. I am not pressing for a case of discharge,” he said.

Further, the defence counsel as well as the prosecution opposed the application filed by advocate Abha Singh, pleading the court to allow her to be an intervenor in the case. The defence counsel maintained that the intervenor is not even a victim in the case and hence can’t argue or participate in the arguments.

After hearing the arguments, the court directed the prosecution to file charges against the actor on July 24.