Bollywood actor Salman Khan on Thursday appeared in front of the Mumbai sessions court where a fresh trial against him in the 2002 hit-and-run case was held. He was accompanied by his two sisters - Arpita Khan and Alvira Khan.
The "Dabbang" star will be tried for offence of 'culpable homicide not amounting to murder' under Section 304 (ii) of Indian Penal code at the Mumbai court. Judge UB Hejib announced that charges will be framed against him on 24 July, when the next hearing is scheduled.
If convicted, Salman faces up to 10 years of imprisonment.
The 47-year-old actor had earlier skipped his last hearing in June and if he misses Wednesday's hearing, he will be in detained. The Magistrate court had earlier tried him for a lesser offence of causing death by negligence, which carries a 2-year jail term as maximum punishment.
Salman was booked with a more serious offence of culpable homicide after the court examined 17 witnesses. The case was shifted to the Sessions court.
He had appealed against his re-trial of the Magistrate's order and had also filed a revision petition to drop the charges. But the Mumbai court rejected his review plea.
In 2002, Salman's Land Cruiser ran over five people sleeping on a pavement in Bandra, Mumbai, killing one person and injuring the others.
Legal matters have been haunting the Bollywood star since 1998, when he had to spend three days in prison for hunting down two endangered blackbucks in Rajasthan.
