Trial court to decide on judgment date in Salman Khan case on April 20

The sessions court, which is conducting trial in the Bandra hit-and-run case involving Bollywood actor Salman Khan has said that it will fix the date for pronouncement of judgment in the 13-year-old case on April 20.

Sessions judge DW Deshpande said no more time will be given to the defence advocate to conclude the final arguments. "I will decide on Monday the date of the judgment," said judge Deshpande, when Khan's lawyer Shrikant Shivade said he needed more time.

"Conclude your argument by April 20, no further time will be given either to the defence or prosecution to make more submissions."

The prosecution has already argued its case.

Altogether 27 witnesses were examined by the prosecution, while the defence examined only one — Khan's driver Ashok Singh.

The 49-year-old actor is accused of ramming his Toyota Land Cruiser into a bakery in Bandra on September 28, 2002, killing one person and injuring four others. He has been charged with 'culpable homicide not amounting to murder', which attracts 10 years' imprisonment.

The sessions court is conducting a fresh trial. Earlier, the magistrate's court was trying Khan for the lesser charge of rash and negligent driving, which attracts two years' jail term.

However, midway in the trial, the magistrate felt that the charge of 'culpable homicide not amounting to murder' should be added, and he referred the case to the sessions court as the offence can't be tried by a lower court.