[Horn-OK-Pls]

Just a followup on my yesterday's post.

https://www.facebook.com/charudutt.a...303640?fref=nf

I agree with Chandradutt. HIT is ok. It could happen due to umpteen number of reasons. RUN. Not acceptable. Everything else Sallu Bhai did is pure abuse of power and status.

[binand]

Originally Posted by Horn-OK-Pls

I agree with Chandradutt. HIT is ok.

Chandradutt doesn't seem to be saying that HIT is ok. If he were, I'd be vehemently disagreeing with him. All he's saying is that there could be multiple reasons for the HIT, but the RUN part comes from arrogance arising out of privilege and corruption in the system.

[noopster]

Live Updates on Time Now are pretty comprehensive.

Online version here: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/e...g/47196768.cms

Looks like defence is going all out tearing into the prosecution's case and looking for all-out acquittal.

[tsk1979]

Originally Posted by Horn-OK-Pls

HIT is ok. It could happen due to umpteen number of reasons. RUN. Not acceptable. Everything else Sallu Bhai did is pure abuse of power and status.

No HIT is not okay in this case. He was drunk. World over, if you HIT its an accident, however if you are drunk and you HIT, its a different ball game attracting severe punishment.

[Horn-OK-Pls]

binand... That's my POV. We all know that a "hit" does happen. A scratch here, a bump there... and also a hard bump sometimes that causes a major damage either to self or to others. Reasons & factors are many.

My point is that a 'hit' happens due to many foreseen and unforeseen. Not getting into reasons here buddy. We all have been through it. But, "RUN". I would stand up and face it like a law abiding citizen. If the accident scene gets unruly, will go to the nearest police station and state the facts.

What SK did was "run" by lying, using his might & clout to "run" for 13 years. Trust you get me buddy.

[saket77]

The defense wants nothing but acquittal! Just went through the updates. In fact, the defense is probably bringing up the same arguments again that Salman was not driving the car. SK should plead guilty and ask for leniency. That would have been better. Accept what he's done and get done with the punishment. He's making a mockery of himself.

Edit: Is the case turning in SK's favor? The judge asks the PP that why like normal cases, this sentence cannot be suspended because the rule is if appeal is admitted and sentence is not more than seven years, then it can be suspended. In addition to this, the judge asks the PP that why it is not just a case of rash driving. Also, why Kamaal Khan was not interrogated? All these questions to PP point that there may be some ray of hope for SK.

In another drama, some one has consumed poison in the court premises in support of SK. Sick people!

[pratyush6]

I can understand why even a iota of sympathy for Salman makes most people cringe and start calling them fanboys and what not.. And then they don't even care for the merit in the argument.

I am not a Salman fan but I have to accept he has worked more to help children and helpless than most of us put together - that is a fact - get your head around it and I am not even talking about Being Human Foundation - that is a publicised thing, most of his donations are only talked about those who he has helped. He is not some Ambani who stands up to be photographed when handing out a cheque.
He has changed lived of people whom nobody cares about - not you, not me. So in some ways he has had more for the society than us.

Yes, he did commit the offense and the law should be strictly adheared to, but why should it not take into account the good work he has done?

It would have been better to see the courts act in a manner which closes the issue - something like a reduced sentence, a suspended sentece, community service and compensation to the victims.

With such a sentence now, you are not helping the victims. Has anyone even asked what the victims really want? No we just want him locked up - after all how can a star get away with something like this?

Punishment needs to be meted out so as to change and reform not teach him a lesson and make him pay for his stardom. Salman has paid for his stardom, if you cannot agree to that, well, there is no point in discussing this anymore.

Let me just add I am not for a minute condoning what Salman has done - there is no place for drunk driving in India. But if you had locked him up for any length of time at the time of the accident, you would have jailed a man who had committed a crime, now you are just jailing someone who is completely different.

[Horn-OK-Pls]

Originally Posted by binand

Chandradutt doesn't seem to be saying that HIT is ok. If he were, I'd be vehemently disagreeing with him. All he's saying is that there could be multiple reasons for the HIT, but the RUN part comes from arrogance arising out of privilege and corruption in the system.

No Binand. That's MY POV. We all have undergone "hit". Either done by us or viceversa. A scratch here, a bump there... Sometimes a big bump that might lead to injuries god forbid. A "hit" happens because of many reasons.

Agree with TSK. "Hit" under DUI is plain stupid and unpardonable.

I have a problem with the "run" part. One doesn't go hightailing should you get into a 'hit' situation even if its your fault. Am sure most of us would man up and take care of the situation. Unless if the scene gets unruly, I would go to the nearest police station and state my case. "run" by lying, using your might and clout and the best defense money can buy to twist the facts around is what Sallu did.

He got his due, albeit IMHO too late.

[noopster]

Someone with a legal background (Kumar R?) what is the rationale behind defence repeatedly raising the point of Kamaal Khan not being produced as a witness? Isn't it the prosecution's prerogative whom to produce as their witness? What stopped the defence from producing Kamaal Khan as their own witness?

[saket77]

Originally Posted by pratyush6

I
With such a sentence now, you are not helping the victims. Has anyone even asked what the victims really want? No we just want him locked up - after all how can a star get away with something like this?

Pratyush, your point has to be understood with a much larger scope. Clubbing it in this case will probably not meet support as the timing is not right.

In my opinion, people who are not hardcore criminals but have committed a crime unknowingly (not talking about this case) should be asked to do community/ society service. Imprisoning them is not going to help society, not the individual and not his family. In such a punishment system, we destroy a number of families. It is like saying 'we kill people who kill people because killing people is wrong!'
An eye for an eye rule is not apt in these type of crimes.

Hardcore and repeat criminals should be tried more strictly and punishment should range upto capital punishment.

PS: I am not talking in the context of this case. DUI is a crime and should be treated as one. Calls for a harsh punishment.

Thanks.

[msdivy]

Few things:
Salman or his family have not met or consoled the family whose member was killed in the drunken driving case. They have not got any compensation. Defence lawyer said during trial they will pay 19 lakhs to the victim if Salman is let off. That amount is half what Salman pays his lawyers per day. (actually, lawyer can bill an extra day and pay the amount to victims' family & the injured and it will cover their life-long expense). Also, they have neither met the injured.

Ravindra Patil, the eye witness who filed the FIR joined the police force after vigorous physical & mental test. There has to be an investigation why he had a mental & physical breakdown shortly after this incident and why he died young. Who was the one who caused this.

Thirdly, if this case can't be proven, then what else can be proven in courts?

Originally Posted by pratyush6

I am not a Salman fan but I have to accept he has worked more to help children and helpless than most of us put together - that is a fact - get your head around it and I am not even talking about Being Human Foundation - that is a publicised thing, most of his donations are only talked about those who he has helped. He is not some Ambani who stands up to be photographed when handing out a cheque.
He has changed lived of people whom nobody cares about - not you, not me. So in some ways he has had more for the society than us.

Everybody says he has done good. Could someone say what exactly he has done?

[saket77]

And the sentence is suspended. Big blow to the prosecution. I saw that turning a little while ago.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/e...g/47196768.cms

The judge says that there is no law that says if there is alcohol, then it is culpable homicide. So, drunk driving, then rash driving, then running over people and all that without a driving licence. All this is not enough to land a superstar in jail. I think it is a bad example set for society.

[RishiSuri]

Clearly shows money power rules . Justice delayed is justice ignored .

[binand]

Originally Posted by pratyush6

So in some ways he has had more for the society than us. Yes, he did commit the offense and the law should be strictly adheared to, but why should it not take into account the good work he has done?

He has been convicted of an offence that carries a sentence of 10 years, and he has been given a 5-year sentence. So the good work he has done, and all other leniency arguments extended by his lawyers, have already been accounted for.

Originally Posted by pratyush6

With such a sentence now, you are not helping the victims. Has anyone even asked what the victims really want? No we just want him locked up - after all how can a star get away with something like this?

One of the victims is dead - difficult to ask him what he really wants. Indian law in any case does not have provisions for sentencing based on victim's wishes - suppose a victim asks for life imprisonment, what then?

Originally Posted by pratyush6

Punishment needs to be meted out so as to change and reform not teach him a lesson and make him pay for his stardom. Salman has paid for his stardom, if you cannot agree to that, well, there is no point in discussing this anymore.

Punishments also have a deterrent aspect to them. If this event prevents even 10 people from thinking twice before reaching out for the car keys after having a few drinks, it has achieved its objective.

Originally Posted by pratyush6

Let me just add I am not for a minute condoning what Salman has done - there is no place for drunk driving in India. But if you had locked him up for any length of time at the time of the accident, you would have jailed a man who had committed a crime, now you are just jailing someone who is completely different.

Justice systems do provide for that - it is called Statute of Limitations. Generally it is not applicable to crimes that result in death (among others).

In summary, everything you are arguing involves going beyond what the law in India allows - just for one celebrity?

[humyum]

Originally Posted by saket77

And the sentence is suspended. Big blow to the prosecution. I saw that turning a little while ago.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/e...g/47196768.cms

The judge says that there is no law that says if there is alcohol, then it is culpable homicide. So, drunk driving, then rash driving, then running over people and all that without a driving licence. All this is not enough to land a superstar in jail. I think it is a bad example set for society.

Tareek Pe Tareek Tareek Pe Tareek.

I think he should have admitted his guilt right then when it happened, gone to jail for a couple of years and by now he would have been married with a kid and living life as a free man.

This is becoming a grand circus now where in the rich can get away with anything in this country in the name of legal tussles. I feel for the victim and more so I feel for Ravindra Patil. What a handsome guy he was, reduced to a bag of bones by the end of his life.