In the year 1988, the man who was driving the Bollywood star Salman Khan’s jeep when an alleged deer hunt took place, is claiming that the actor shot the black buck.
Two days after the Rajasthan High court acquitted the star in two cases related to poaching of Chinkaras in Jodhpur in 1998, the driver, Harish Dulani, who had been reportedly missing for over 18 years now, has suddenly reappeared.
According to a news channel, Dulani said, “I stick to the statement I made before the magistrate 18 years ago that Salman got off the car and shot the deer. I was not absconding but I was scared due to several threats received by me and my father”.
He added, “Due to fear I went away to my relatives’ place in Jodhpur. We had asked for protection but did not get it. If I had police protection, I could have given a statement. That was what I always intended”.
The driver had given his statement to the magistrate, 18 years ago, but went missing thereafter and thus, the prosecution’s case weakened. But he is ready to go and testify in the third case, hearing for which is due, but says that he is scared. Dulani says that he is paying the price of being Salman Khan’s driver.
On the contrary, Khan’s lawyer says that such an incident had never happened. According to him, Salman had been falsely framed in these cases, merely on the statements of Dulani and it was only the vehicle which was allegedly used in poaching in both these cases. The lawyer added that the driver was never available for cross-examination and thus, his statements could not be relied upon.
In 2007, Salman had spent a week in jail before the bail was granted.