“An unfortunate incident beyond his control, such as an act of God.” -SALMAN KHAH

Mumbai:TheBombayHighCourttodaydirecteditsregistrytosubmitbyJuly20thetranslationofcopiesofdocumentssoughtbyBollywoodactorSalmanKhaninconnectionwithhisappealagainstthefive-yearsentenceawardedtohimbyasessionscourtinthe2002hit-and-runcase.

Somedocumentsinthecaseareinvernacularlanguageandtheactor’slawyerAmitDesaihadurgedforanEnglishtranslationofthesecopiessothattheappealcouldbeheard.

Salman’slawyeralsofiledanapplicationgivingalistof"missing"documentsinthecase.Hesaidifthe"missing"documentswerenotrequiredbythecourtthenhewouldnotpressforit,butiftheywerenecessaryforhearingthe

appeal,theauthoritiesmaybedirectedtosupplythesame.

JusticeARJoshidirectedPublicProsecutorSSShindeandtheinvestigatingofficerinthecasetoscrutinisethelistgivenbySalmanandascertainifsomedocumentswere

missinginthe’paperbook.’Iftheyfindsomepapersaremissing,theyhavebeenaskedtoprovidethesedocumentsbeforeJuly20,whenthematterhasbeenpostedforfurtherhearing.Salman’slawyersoughtadjournmentofthehearingtill July27astheactor’slegalteamwouldbebusyinaJodhpurcourtinconnectionwithanothercaseinvolvingtheactor,onJuly20.However,theHCdidnotgrantalongerdateassoughtbytheactor’slawyeranddeferredthematterbyaweek.

The49-year-oldactordidnotcometothecourttodayasheisonbail.Hissister,Alvira,whonormallycomesforeveryhearing,wasalsonotpresent.

SalmanwasconvictedbyasessionscourtonMay6andsentencedtofiveyearsimprisonmentonvariouscounts,including’culpablehomicidenotamountingtomurder’ .Amanwaskilledandfourotherswereinjuredwhentheactor’sToyotaLandCruiserranoverthemwhiletheywereasleeponapavementoutsideabakeryinsuburbanBandraonSeptember28,2002.

TheHChadonMay8stayedtheexecutionofthe5-yearsentenceawardedtoSalmaninthe13-year,oldcaseandgrantedhimbailwhileadmittinghisappeal.