Salman Khan was convicted by a sessions court in the 2002 hit-and-run-case involving him
The lawyer of Bollywood actor Salman Khan today alleged before the Bombay High Court that there were several discrepencies in the collection of the actor's blood samples and its examination. The actor, who was given a five-year sentence in 2002 hit-and-run case, has appealed against his conviction in the case.
The lawyer said the quantity of blood taken at the hospital did not match with the one received by a forensic lab for examination.
"Blood extracted by PW-20 (Dr Shashikant Pawar, Medical Officer at JJ Hospital in Mumbai) was 6 ml, which was stored in two vials of 3 ml each. However, PW-18 (Dattatray Bhalshankar, chemical analyser at Forensic Lab in Kalina) found 4 ml of blood only in one vial," Mr Khan's lawyer Amit Desai told Justice A R Joshi of the Bombay High Court.
"It appears that what PW-18 (chemical analyser) has received is a completely different sample," the lawyer said. "The appellant (Salman) has been convicted with this kind of evidence, Mr Desai argued and alleged that this was 'an addition to the chain of discrepancies.'
"Besides, the CA's report does not speak about the percentage of alcohol but talks only about the content of alcohol," he added.
Referring to portions of the paper book (evidence), Mr Desai said that evidence in one place said "one sealed vial intact, as per copy sent", while in another place it said "no copy sent".
"This is confusing, so whether it is 'vial intact as per copy sent' or 'no copy sent,' an ambiguity has been created," Mr Desai pointed out to the court.
The lawyer further said the 'blood story' was curious. "It starts from Bhabha Hospital, which does not have the facility to draw blood and goes to the JJ Hospital, where oxalate, which is an anti-coagulant, has been shown as a preservative," he argued before the court.
Salman Khan was found guilty of ramming his car into a shop in suburban Bandra on September 28, 2002, killing one person and injuring four who were sleeping on pavement.