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Court allows activist’s plea in Salman Khan hit-and-run case

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Key witness says Salman Khan was in SUV's driver's seat

MUMBAI: The trial in the hit-and-run incident involving actor Salman Khan has been on for more than a decade, it should be completed by December, observed a sessions court on Monday. Judge D W Deshpande also expressed displeasure over the actor’s absence in court during proceedings. “I remember I had directed the accused to remain present today,” the judge said. But the court granted the exemption plea filed by the defence.But on December 3, Khan will have to be present in court when two witnesses, a chemical analyzer and a motor vehicle inspector will depose.Reacting to the prolonged arguments over making available the list of witnesses who were to depose in the next hearing, the judge remarked, “All this is diverting from evidence.”Defence advocate Srikant Shivde complained to the court that despite an earlier order, the prosecution had failed to intimate him about the upcoming witnesses within reasonable time. “Till today, they have not disclosed the names of witnesses. If they don’t want to follow court orders then consequences must be follow,” he said. “We cannot carry the files of all 63 witnesses every day. We are asking for the list as criminal jurisprudence is based on the principle of fair trial.”But special public prosecutor Pradip Gharat said when he tried to return a call from the defence, he got no response. “What else can I do?”He added that the defence was making false accusations that the list of witnesses was not given.Meanwhile, two more witnesses were examined in court on Monday. The first witness was insurance agent Gurcharan Malhotra who denied making the insurance papers for the vehicle, and the second was Mark D’Souza, a counter clerk with American Express Cleaners. D’Souza said he does not remember the contents of his police statement as the incident took place over a decade ago.