The Mumbai sessions court on 6 May, found Salman Khan guilty of killing one and injuring four others in a hit and run accident that took place on the night of 28 September, 2002. He was sentenced to five years of rigorous imprisonment.
However, the superstar heaved a sigh of relief after the Bombay High Court suspended his jail sentence and granted him bail on 8 May.
The verdict came after 13 long years and within this period of time, the case witnessed several twists and turns.
While, many are aware of key witness Ravindra Patil, Salman's police bodyguard, who stated that it was Salman who was driving the car, not much is known about another key eye witness Kamaal Khan.
Here, we bring to you a few lesser known facts about the singer, whose absence from the 13-year-long trial has been a major loophole in the case.
Kamaal was present in Salman's Toyota Land Cruiser, along with Ravindra, the night the mishap took place. But soon after giving his statement to the police back then, he distanced himself from the case.
Kamaal and Salman's friendship dates back to 1998, when the actor gave him a break in his film "Pyaar Kiya Toh Darna Kya" in which he crooned the popular song "O O Jaane Jaana".
Soon after the mishap, the singer is said to have fled the city and is apparently residing in Zurich, Switzerland. There were also reports that advocate Abha Singh has been demanding to either bring Kamaal back or organise an audio or video conference.
After the death of Patil in 2007, halfway through the case, Kamaal was the only eye witness available.
After "O O Jaane Jana", Kamaal has lent his voice in few other songs in Bollywood films including "Hello Brother", "Tere Naam", "Wanted" among others. Besides singing, he had even tried his hands at acting and played a key role in Sunny Deol starrer "Jo Bole So Nihaal".
In 1999, Kamaal was honoured with the "R.D.Burman" Filmfare Award for the "Most Promising Upcoming Talent".
According to a report in The Times of India, Kamaal was dating Malaika Arora Khan's sister and actress Amrita Arora who later married Shakeel Ladak. Both Kamaal and Amrita was reportedly quite open about their relationship and were frequently spotted together at parties.
Back in 2002, Kamaal in his statement to police admitted that Salman was behind the wheel at the time of the accident.
In his statement to the police, a copy of which is with Hindustan Times, Kamaal said:
"Kamaal Khan Mohammed Abdul Khan, age: 33, profession: singer, address: 902, Parshuram Puriya Tower, Yamuna Nagar, Oshiwara, Andheri (West), Mumbai – 52.
I stay at this address since June 2002. I have purchased the flat from the previous owner. I reside in the United Kingdom, where my mother and brother live. I am a British citizen while my parents are Indians. I work as a singer and I come to India for recording songs in Hindi films. I have a visa up to 2003. My passport is British.
I want to state that actor Salman Khan is known to me since 1998. He is a resident of Galaxy Apartments, BJ Road, Bandra (West). I also personally know Salman's father Salim and his other family members.
On the night of September 27, 2002, I went to meet Salman at his residence and we planned to have dinner outside. Salman, his bodyguard and I went out in a Land Cruiser to Rain Hotel at Juhu. His brother Sohail and his bodyguard came in a different vehicle. We had reached the hotel around 11pm and it was very crowded.
Salman, Sohail and I had snacks at the service counter. After about an hour or two, we left for JW Marriott Hotel in the white Land Cruiser. After spending some time there, we left.
Salman sat to drive the vehicle, while his bodyguard sat next to him. I was behind the driver's seat.
An employee of the hotel came up to us to say good night. Salman asked him, 'How many of you work here?' When the man replied five, Salman asked me to give him a tip of Rs500.
Salman was driving and we started to head to his house. We were heading from St Andrew's Road to Hill Road. While taking a right turn, Salman lost control of the car and it went on the steps of a building and crashed into a shutter. I heard shouts and people gathered around the car. The crowd was shouting 'Salman come out'. Some were trying to help the injured. When we got down, people pushed us. Salman's bodyguard told the people he was a policeman, which calmed down the crowd.
In the chaos, my Sony mobile phone fell down. I went running to Salman's house. I told the watchman to call Sohail as Salman's vehicle had met with an accident.
After I informed Sohail, I sat down in the watchman's chair for a while. Later, I left for my home, and then for Lonavla."
