SC rejects plea for transfer of Salman's appeal from Bombay HC

The Supreme Court today dismissed a plea seeking transfer of Bollywood superstar Salman Khan's appeal against his conviction and five-year jail term in the 2002 hit-and-run case, out of the Bombay High Court.
"We are sorry," a three-judge bench comprising Chief Justice H L Dattu and Justices Arun K Mishra and Amitava Roy said while rejecting the plea.
The transfer petition was filed by Sushila Bai H R Patil through lawyer M L Sharma alleging that the state agencies have been "standing behind" the 49-year-old actor.
It said that complainant Ravindra Himmatrao Patil, a constable with the Mumbai Police, was sitting with Salman Khan on the front seat of the vehicle and he had been harassed at the instance of the accused.

The petition said that the state machinery, police and administrative offices are "standing behind Khan to destroy prosecution case in favour of the accused person (Khan) by hook and by crook".
"If the state itself support the accused and his crime, have their hand to eliminate evidence, no justice in any manner is possible to anyone," it had said.

It also claimed that if the appeal is left in the state, the "entire evidence will be destroyed".
On May 6, the actor was convicted of culpable homicide not amounting to murder and sentenced to five years imprisonment in the case but escaped being sent to jail after the Bombay High Court granted him interim bail till May 8.

On May 8, the high court suspended the 5-year sentence of Khan in the case and granted him bail pending his appeal against conviction.