Taking serious cognisance of the fact that the hit-and-run case involving Bollywood actor Salman Khan had been dragged for 11 long years, City Sessions Court Judge DW Deshpande on Monday directed the prosecution to complete the examination of all witnesses in the ongoing re-trial by December end.
Judge Deshpande also took exception to the absence of Salman at Monday’s hearing and directed the actor to remain present at the next hearing of the case scheduled for December 3.
The judge’s directives to the Prosecution to speed up the re-trial proceedings and Salman to remain present at all the hearings came when Salman’s counsel Shrikant Shivade moved an application on behalf of the actor seeking exemption from appearance in the court for the day.
The judge told Shivade that he had specifically asked Salman to remain for the court proceedings scheduled for Monday and said it was not possible for the court to give him exemption every time. Shivade told the court that Khan could not attend the hearing due to his shooting schedule.
Earlier, Salman had sought an exemption citing the wedding of his sister Arpita, who got married last week, and had assured the court that he would be present for next hearing scheduled for Monday.