Salman's hit-and-run case: It's jail or bail today

It’s either bail or jail for actor Salman Khan on Friday when the Bombay High Court will hear his bail plea after a sessions court here awarded him five-years rigorous imprisonment in a 13-year-old hit-and-run case.

On Friday, Khan’s legal team, which comprises former Solicitor General Harish Salve, will plead before the high court for granting regular bail and will also file an appeal against the conviction order.

Salman’s defence lawyer Shrikant Shivade has already briefed Salve about the case. The actor’s presence in the court, however, will not be required. Friday’s hearing assumes importance as the high court goes for summer vacation from May 10 to June 7. In case the hearing prolongs, he may have to go before a vacation judge.

A cross-section of lawyers to whom Deccan Herald spoke pointed out that in the last 13 years when Khan was on bail, he had never violated the bail conditions, and the court would look into this issue.  “Besides, this is not a case where a person has been awarded death sentence or life sentence. There are also Supreme Court guidelines and rulings of criminal bail jurisprudence. One of the aspects that is considered before bail is what are the possibilities of the person appearing for justice. It this case, he has so far.

There is no question of tampering of evidence as the lower court has announced the verdict. Moreover, the person has stake in Mumbai, he is associated with the city,” a senior counsel said.

In the appeal, the actor is going to point out that he was not driving the SUV and instead family driver Ashok Singh was behind the wheels when the accident took place.  On March 28, Singh appeared as defence witness and owned up responsibility for the accident.