After 'Missing' Witness Surfaces, A New Challenge For Salman Khan

Jaipur: Salman Khan's acquittal may be challenged after a key witness surfaced after 14 years and told NDTV on Wednesday that he stood by his statement that the actor shot endangered gazelle or chinkaras in 1998, but could never testify in court because he was threatened.

The Rajasthan government says it is ready to move the Supreme Court against the actor's acquittal, in principle.

Harish Dulani, the driver of the Gypsy used by the actor on an alleged hunt, has been reported missing in the 18-year-old case. His absence was one of the main reasons the case against Mr Khan collapsed.

Surfacing movie-style just two days after Mr Khan's acquittal for lack of evidence, Mr Dulani said: "I stick to the statement I made before a magistrate 18 years ago. I am not an absconder. My father received threats, I got scared and left home. If I had police protection, I could have given a statement."

Mr Dulani said he is ready to go to the court and testify in a third case that has yet to be decided - the alleged poaching of endangered blackbuck - but is scared. "My life is in danger. I am ready to go to court but I want protection," he said.

Rajasthan Home Minister Gulab Chand Kataria, responding to the comments, said: "We will send somebody to contact him and if he says he needs security, we will provide him protection."

On Monday, the court said there is not enough evidence that the 50-year-old star had killed the two chinkaras in September 1998, during a location shoot for a Hindi film.

Mr Dulani, who drove Mr Khan for a week and was with him during the alleged hunt, had told a magistrate that the actor was driving and shooting deer at the same time. That statement never made it to the trial.

Mr Dulani was declared an unreliable witness as the court noted that according to his statement, Salman Khan appeared to be "multi-tasking".

In 2007, Mr Khan, one of the most bankable stars in Bollywood, spent a week in jail in Jodhpur before being granted bail.