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(FILE) Salman Khan (C) is surrounded by police personnel on his way to the court in Jodhpur August 25, 2007. Khan was arrested by police on Saturday and sent to jail after a court rejected his appeal against a five-year sentence for shooting endangered gazelles. (REUTERS)
Bollywood actor Salman Khan is in Mumbai and is not hiding. He has been attending award functions, promotional events, premiere of his movie 'Dabangg 2' and Christmas bash, still it was difficult for Mumbai police to track him down to serve a summon asking him to appear in court on December 27.
The court had issued the summon for Salman Khan on November 30 relating to the 2002 hit-and-run case.
When this information was unearthed by an Indian daily, the police acted fast and just a day before his scheduled appearance the summon was served to Salman.
It took them 3 weeks to track this famous star who lives in Mumbai, works in Mumbai and appears on television shows and newspapers every single day.
Even after the summon reached the actor he gave the court a miss and instead sent his two sisters.
Alvira and Arpita Khan and his lawyer Dipesh Mehta appeared in a Mumbai court to file a petition that sought an exemption for his appearance.
The court granted the exemption. Salman was excused from appearing in court on Dec 27 which also happens to be his 47th birthday.
The next hearing is scheduled on January 30, 2013.
The summons were issued after RTI activist Saurabh Daundkar and his lawyer Abha Singh filed a complaint alleging that the Mumbai police faked documents and evidence to help Salman in the 2002 hit-an-run case.
Mumbai police claimed they were unable to quickly serve the court notice because they had a hard time tracking Salman down.
But it was revealed that Salman was in town partying with top cops and even after the petitioner informed them about Salman's whereabouts the cops mocked at him without taking necessary actions.
Salman told reporters that he was ready to go to court and was just waiting for the court summons. Salman also said that he has always done what the law requires him to do, and that his family would accompany him to court.
Ten years ago, the actor's SUV had run into a bakery in suburban Bandra, killing one and injuring four persons who were sleeping on the pavement outside.
Earlier this month, lawyer-activist Abha Singh filed a petition alleging that the actor is delaying the trial. Mr Khan was then summoned to show up in court.
Mr Khan was originally accused of culpable homicide not amounting to murder. But the Bombay High Court then reduced the charges to rash and negligent driving.
The trial in the case started in 2005 and the prosecution has examined eleven witnesses so far. Two witnesses have turned hostile.
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