In the Salman Khan hit-and-run case, during cross examination on Tuesday, expert witness Dr Suhas Pawar indicated that the 6ml blood sample of Khan that he extracted was not properly preserved, and it may have fermented to produce alcohol. Dr Pawar is the 20th witness to be examined in the case.The doctor said he extracted 6ml of blood and put 3ml each in test tubes before sealing them. One of these test tubes had preservatives while the other one was empty. Based on the case files, Pawar said of the two preservatives required—sodium fluoride (prevents fermentation) and potassium oxalate (anti-coagulate)—only the latter was used in one tube.The defence led by advocate Shrikant Shivde then asked him if the absence of preservative would lead to fermentation of blood and production of alcohol, to which he replied in the affirmative. “If the blood gets fermented, it will produce alcohol and it is possible that it will form a high test result of alcohol,” he said.The doctor also said that keeping the blood sample without refrigeration within two days may lead to decomposition and that for correct assertion of presence of alcohol in the blood sample, it was necessary for both the samples to be given. Shivde then alleged that by not adding sodium fluoride, the Civil Medical Code was not followed.The doctor, however, countered that by saying he was not an expert on the use of preservation of blood samples, as the test tubes already contained the necessary preservatives and it was his job to only fill in the extracted blood and seal it. “So is common practice more important than following the Civil Medical Code?” the defence retorted.While examining him on the nitty gritties, the defence went on to ask how many hands did he use when the syringe was inserted and blood drawn. “I used both my hands,” the doctor said, showing how it was done.The witness will continue to be cross examined on January 31. The case has reached its fag end with the prosecution making a statement to the effect that it will complete examining the remaining witnesses by the February 18. Khan has been accused of running over five pavement dwellers and killing one of them, in a drunken state, during the intervening night of September 27-28 in his white range rover.