Chapter-2

CHAPTER 2 : CUT IT !!

Hit and Run
Salman Khan and controversies almost sound synonymous. Be it the Land Cruiser incident or the Black Buck shooting case, the actor gets the worst of troubles in his kitty. It was alleged that the actor mowed down some people sleeping outside American Express bakery on Hill road junction in Bandra, Mumbai. He was returning home from a party at Enigma, a pub, in his Land Cruiser when the incident happened. It was 2.30 in the early hours of September 27, 2002.

In what could not be more unfortunate, the accident killed one of the pavement dwellers, who were the workers of the bakery, and caused serious injuries to three other individuals. The victim was later identified as Nurullah Mehboob Sharif, aged 38 years. He was crushed to death under the wheels on the spot. The injured were quickly rushed to the Bhabha hospital.

According to reports, minutes after the incident, onlookers gathered around the scene and started pelting stones at Salman who fled the spot immediately. Apparently, he was the one behind the wheels and was in an inebriated condition. He was accompanied by singer Kamaal Khan, his bodyguard Ravindra Patil and driver Altaaf. Patil said that initially it was Altaf who was driving. Later, Salman decided to stop the car and meet somebody for a few minutes. After that brief halt, he took over the charge of the car and started cruising the vehicle at a speed of 70kmph. Patil claimed that the actor turned around to speak with him and that is precisely when he lost control over the car. He managed to steer the Landcruiser, some how, away from an electric pole, and ended up climbing over the pavement and ramming the car into the bakery. Unfortunately, the pavement was not deserted. Ravindra Patil filed a complaint with the police immediately after the incident. According to a report in Rediff.com (as written in The Hall of Fame) , when the police rushed to his house to question him, Salman slipped out through the back door said Assistant inspector Nitish Yadav. The next morning every newspaper, every news channel and news portal carried the news which shook the whole Industry- “Salman gets bail in Hit and Run Case” (28 september 2002 indiatimes.com) ; “Salman scoots after crash and kill- surrender comes eight hours after runnimg over pavement dwellers” (The Telegraph September 29, 2002). Critics concluded that this was the last straw and slammed Salman’s career. Analysts predicted his doom and everybody was sure that he was not to be seen in the comforts of his sea facing house for a long time. Maharashtra deputy chief minister, Chhagan Bhujbal said, according to an NDTV report (as written in The Hall of Fame) , “It was not a case of a simple accident, where a person was mowed down while crossing the road but a clear case of sheer negligence on the part of Salman”. He was also surprised at the fact that the actor, who surrendered at 11 am next day, was released on bail…..just after a few hours. “However this perhaps would not have been possible in case of a common man”, he added. Amidst all, there were allegations that the Mumbai police were taking the case easy. After this, events took up new shape every day. Salman asserted that he was not behind the wheels when the accident took place, his bodyguard was, but the police wrote it off as there were too many eye-witness accounts which confirmed its falsity. Patil is himself said to have told the cops that leave aside being behind the wheels, he does not even know how to drive. Later Salman admitted that he was indeed driving the car when the accident took place. Moreover Salman did not have a license the day he was driving. His blood test revealed double the permissible alcohol level.

Soon his passport was confiscated and was asked not to leave the country and report to the Bandra police station whenever his cooperation was required. On the 7th of October, the actor was officially arrested and produced before a Metropolitan Magistrate Court after he had surrendered before the Bandra Police. He was remanded to three days in police custody. The actor surrendered after the prosecution arrived at the decision of booking him under Section 304 of the Indian penal code for Culpable homicide not amounting to murder. He had to pay monetary compensations to the families of the victim and the injured.

Earlier there had been cases when actors Puru Rajkumar and Tanuja had been involved in hit and run cases like this and got away unscathed, by paying a mere fine.

Reactions poured in from all directions in abundance. The vicious Salman-bashing in the press and more secretly within the film industry continued.

"If I had my way, I'd tie Salman to a stake. He brings a bad name to the entire industry," says a young and famous filmmaker. "Thanks to people like him, we're looked on as debauched, hedonistic evil creatures. For god's sake, he has killed a human being. Let's not waste any sympathy on him." (18 Oct 2002, 1244 hrs IST, ASHWINI DESHMUKH TOI)

"Salman had this coming to him for a long time. What you do to others finally comes around to you," says an actress who has witnessed the actor's bad behaviour with one of his many girlfriends. "Salman has no respect for women, or for that matter men. His close group of cronies have been pampering his ego, encouraging his bad behaviour to a point where he thought he could get away with anything." (18 Oct 2002, 1244 hrs IST, ASHWINI DESHMUKH TOI)

"Salman is a rich man and he can get away... I just hope I get normal and start earning for my family," said Abdullah sheikh, one of the injured. (Monday September 30,2002 rediff.com)

But the industry men, known to support the actor during his lows, proved their mettle this time too. Friends and members of the fraternity like Mahima Chaudhry, Puneet Issar, Kishan Kumar vocally shored up Salman’s case. “I think the media is blowing this accident out of proportion. Why aren't people talking about Salman's good side? He is already miserable about what happened. I am sure he will look after the family of the victims till the end. I am not defending him. But I have known him from the last 22 years.” Said the veteran actor Puneet Issar in Rediff.com They narrated incidents when the actor went out of his way to help accident victims. Friends pointed out how Salman helped Babloo Mukherjee (Keshto Mukherjee’s son) and a lawyer when they met with accidents on and lay unattended.

Columnists like Pritish Nandy tried to present a balanced view and played the Devil’s advocate in this case.

“There are many accidents on Mumbai’s streets every day, tragic accidents in which lives are lost, but we do not file cases of willful murder against those who are involved in them unless there is strong evidence to conclude that it was a wanton and willful act. In Salman’s case no such evidence existed. What existed instead was hostile public opinion that virtually forced the police to imprison him….Whether he is a brat or not is not the issue. The issue is that. the media has actually set him up to be lynched and the politicians, always looking for an opportunity, have exploited it.” (Lynch mob is out to get Salman 18 Jul 2005, 1025 hrs IST, Pritish Nandy, Times News Network)

A Public interest Litigation was filed against the actor calling for psychiatric treatment on October 4th 2002 by activists Nikhil Vagle,Nilu Damle, Sudha Kulkarni and the Mumbai based Mahila dakshata samiti.

Salman urged a sessions court on march 6, 2003 to drop the charge of culpable homicide not amounting to murder in his case. He appealed that he was one of the breadwinners of his family and his family needs his support.

He got into a fracas later as it was proved that the Land Cruiser Salman was driving that fateful night did not belong to him. It was instead, owned by some Abdul rahim.

So how was it like for the actor in jail, for the first time? “It was educational. It was meant to be. I had to see that side. Perhaps, I needed to go inside. I’ve always seen only luxuries and good things in life. Never seen discomfort. There are so many people who are in jail for no fault of theirs and they are suffering. It was very unfortunate.”said Salman as mentioned in Biswadeep’s book. He disclosed how he was unable to help the victims by taking them to the hospital which was 20 metres away. “The thing I’m saddest about is the mother whose son died and whom I’ve still not met because if I meet her someone will say I’m trying to buy evidence. Her condition makes me most sad. Her image keeps coming back to me whenever I try to sleep. It haunts me”

Barely six weeks after the hit and run case, Salman met with another road accident this time at Deolali Camp, 10 km from Nasik in Maharashtra. But this time, luckily, no body was injured. On July 17, 2004 The Hindu reported how Salman Khan saved two accident victims in front of his house. The newspaper reported “Salman rushed to help the three youngsters trapped in a Lancer that crashed into an electric pole in front of Galaxy apartments and removed them before he accompanied them to Lilawati Hospital, the police said.” But this incident was reflected much less in the media. More so, because he refused to comment anything to the media.

The Black Buck shooting case

Salman khan was sentenced to 1 year of rigorous imprisonment in 2006 for killing two Black bucks, an endangered species of deer, in 1998, while shooting for the film Hum Saath saath hai in Jodhpur. He was also fined a sum of Rs.5000 by a sessions court. He was convicted under the Wildlife Protection Act. It was one of four cases filed against the actor for poaching endangered animals. Seven other accused in the case, including actor Satish Shah, were acquitted in the case by Chief Judicial Magistrate B K Jain. Salman was also accompanied by actors Tabu, Neelam, Sonali bendre and Saif Ali khan. In 1998, when the stars were first arrested, Salman was denied a bail though Saif was granted an anticipatory bail. Another case against him was connected with the killing of Chinkara (Indian gazelle) . Local Bishnoi villagers consider wildlife sacred and worship the species as their deity. On Oct 12, 1998 Rediff.com reported that when the unit came in, a local told them that poaching was not allowed and that the blackbuck was an endangered species that should not be harmed. There were even notices put up in the jungle, saying we shouldn't poach. Despite this the stars moved ahead with their decision. The World Wildlife fund for India also called for a boycott of the stars from all the sections of the society. The driver who accompanied the team to the forest, Harish, initially testified against Salman . He said that the actor was the prime accused since he killed all five animals with a .22 rifle and a revolver. The others were said to be onlookers. Things took a nasty turn when Rajasthan’s forest manager alleged that the actors later on feasted on the meat of the killed animals. But later, Harish backtracked from his earlier statement. Prosecution witness Dayal Singh, during cross examination by Khan’s counsel Hastimal saraswat, also denied before the Chief Judicial magistrate that he made any statement to the police. Later, about a dozen witnesses turned hostile in the case. There are still widespread belief that they were either threatened or bribed.

After a week long stint in jail, Salman recounted how life in the jail was very scary. Speaking to Subha Shetty-Saha in bharatwaves.com, (http://www.bharatwaves.com/news/Life-in-jail-was-very-scary-9546.html) he reveals “It looks all very cool to an outsider. The state of the jail is so bad and when I offered to take care of some amenities, I was not allowed. I think some human rights guys should go there and check on these things. It is horrible for humans to stay in such places.”

Vivek Alleges

Not even two years have passed after the Land Cruiser incident and Salman came out of prison, one event came to the forefront which resonated memories of a turbulent affair between Salman and Aishwarya Rai. A then newcomer in the industry, Vivek Oberoi, son of actor Suresh Oberoi called a press conference on April 1 2003 to inform the public that Salman had made 41 calls to his mobile on the 29th of March. He accused the actor of threatening him with dire consequences in an inebriated state, and claiming that Vivek was “having physical relationships with Aishwarya rai, Diya Mirza, Rani Mukherjee and Somy Ali” (as written in Salman Khan : The Hall of Fame.) At that time the young actor was the new beau in Aishwarya’s life. Vivek even went to the extent of saying that “Salman’s career is over which is why he was reacting so badly” Coming from a fresh entrant in Bollywood, this step against Salman came as a shock to the industry. While most of the industry people trashed Vivek’s argument, there were some who believed it. When Mid-Day asked Salman whether or not Vivek had over reacted, the actor made his views clear.. “That’s his reaction. I don’t know the guy.”. In countless interviews that followed, Salman Khan appeared stoic and amused at his colleague's bitter recriminations. "Don't worry, it is nothing, nothing at all. Please don't write anything about it. Vivek Oberoi is a kid who has just discovered the joys of stardom. He will learn with time. I will cope with this problem, just like I have with all my other problems." (Subhash K Jha April 03, 2003 rediff.com.) The Industry members stood rock solid in support of Salman and criticized Vivek’s action as juvenile. In an article in Rediff.com ( April 4, 2003) Kareena Kapoor reacts by saying that, "If he had a problem with Salman, why could he not solve it instead of going to the press?” Actor Suneil Shetty also expressed his disgust- “I thought it was in very bad taste. Everyone believes Vivek has done it for publicity.” Others like Sanjay Leela Bhansali and Abhishek Bachhan also wrote off Vivek’s press meet as disgraceful. Four years later in August 2007, Vivek publicly apologized Salman in the 10th Rajiv Gandhi Awards function by bowing down and catching his ears in front of the latter but Salman was not ready to forgive him. Even Vivek’s gesture to patch up relations with Arbaaz khan during the shooting of Shootout at Lokhandwala and his visit to the Lilavati hospital when Salman’s mother was unwell and admitted to the hospital were not able to shake the actor from his stance.

Underworld

If those were not enough, Salman also had his brush with the underworld. He was the lead actor of the 2000 flick Chori chori chupke chupke. It was alleged that the film was funded by the underworld. Producer Nazim Rizvi was arrested on December 13, 2000 for his links with the underworld. On 20 august 2002, rediff.com carried an article which mentioned that the actor received telephonic threats from the underworld. According to police sources, Khan received a call from a Chhota Rajan aide demanding Rs 30 million. His brother, Sohail khan also received extortion call from the underworld demanding “goodwill money” for his debut film as an actor, Maine Dil tujhko Diya.