Bailable warrant against Salman in 2002 case stayed

Mumbai: A Sessions court on Wednesday stayed a bailable warrant issued last week against bollywood actor Salman Khan in the 2002 hit-and-run case near a bakery at Hill Road junction in Bandra west.

The court had issued the warrant against Mr Khan after he failed to furnish fresh surety as per Supreme Court order. The apex court has directed him to furnish a fresh bond after the state government challenged his acquittal in the case.

Special public prosecutor Pradeep Gharat, who had conducted the trial against Salman said, “As per Supreme Court’s order Mr Salman had to furnish fresh surety before the trial court. However, despite this order when he failed to furnish surety the court issued a bailable warrant against him last week.”

Mr Salman’s lawyer Niranjan Mudergi moved an application before the Sessions court seeking stay on the warrant issued by it. The application moved before Sessions judge M.G. Deshpande contended that Salman had arraigned new surety named Gurmeet Singh Jolly and had got solvency certificate valid till March 2, 2018.

According to Salman’s lawyer since it was about to expire, applicant against sought extension of validity of solvency certificate as time taken for verification would have made the whole process redundant.

Mr Mundergi also informed the court that the process to comply with court order on behalf of Salman is already started. After hearing arguments Judge Deshpande stayed the warrant issued against Mr Salman.

A trial court had convicted Salman sfor ramming his car into a shop in Bandra on September 28, 2002, killing one person and injuring four others.