After the Maharashtra government had challenged the acquittal of Bollywood actor Salman Khan in the 2002 hit-and-run case, now the victim’s kin today also moved the Supreme Court seeking to set aside the Bombay High Court’s acquittal order and compensation in the case.
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After the Maharashtra Government, they have also challenged the verdict meted to Salman to the grounds the accident killed the sole bread victor of the household. The widow, Begumjaha Haroon Khan, and son Firoz Shaikh said in their joint plea that victims of a crime were an integral part of the justice delivery system and they should also be heard while adjudicating the case. The special leave petition sought setting aside the High Court judgement and a direction to the 50-year-old actor to pay compensation to the widow and son of the deceased, Shaikh Noorulla Shafik, reported PTI. His wife and son both work as daily wagers and menial help and were forced to depend on NGOs for existence, their petition claimed. The apex court had had extended the hearing to February 12 from February 5 as scheduled earlier.
Salman has apparently roped in Congressman and lawyer Kapil Sibal to fight his case at the Supreme Court.
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Calling the acquittal a “travesty of justice”, the state government said in its appeal, “Salman Khan had consumed liquor and was drunk, he was driving the Land Cruiser which killed a person sleeping on the pavement”. It disputed the High Court’s observation that the investigation was conducted in a careless and faulty manner, claiming that there were many witnesses who corroborated the charges against Salman adequately.
