The acquittal of actor Salman Khan in the hit-and-run case involving his SUV in 2002 was challenged in the Supreme Court by the victim’s family on Wednesday. Their appeal will be listed along with the appeal already filed by the Maharashtra Government, which had last week described the actor’s acquittal as travesty of justice.
Moving a petition challenging the HC decision of December 10, the son and widow of the victim Shaikh Noorulla Shafique even sought compensation from the 50-year old actor for the tragic death.
The petitioners alleged that the high court made a “serious error” by reversing the well-reasoned order of the trial court sentencing the Bollywood star to five years in jail. The petition said that the trial court ignored Sections 357 and 357A of the CrPC which provides for compensation to victims of crime. Shafique was sleeping on the pavement when the SUV allegedly driven by Khan mowed him down.
The HC had claimed that the prosecution failed to prove “beyond reasonable doubt” that the actor was driving the vehicle at the time of the accident and that he was drunk.
The incident occurred on October 28, 2002 when five persons sleeping on a pavement outside a laundry in suburban Bandra were run over by a Toyota land Cruiser, killing one and injuring four others.