Two days after the Rajasthan High Court acquitted Bollywood actor Salman Khan, on Monday, in two pending casing related to the poaching of Rajasthan’s state animal Chinkara and a blackbuck, the sole witness of the incident – Harish Dulani or Harish Kumar, who was the driver of the Gypsy, talked to Dainik Bhaskar.
Harish claimed to be in the same Gypsy Salman Khan was travelling in during the poaching incident and said he was not summoned by the prosecution in a bid to save the actor.
In an exclusive interview with NDTV, Harish said that he was commissioned to drive around Salman Khan for around a week during the shooting of Hum Saath Saath Hai in 1998.
Being unable to give the exact dates during which he was the Bollywood star’s designated driver, he said:
It’s been 18 years since the incident, even my memory doesn’t serve me well anymore, so I can’t tell the exact dates for which I was the designated driver. It was probably from 26 September until 1 October, 1998.
The Chief Judicial Magistrate had ruled against Salman despite Dulani’s absence, the Rajasthan HC sought Harish’s deposition before acquitting Salman. However, since the prosecution didn’t present him, the HC acquitted the actor.
He really liked driving, I would take the backseat, after I’d pick him up from Umed Bhavan, and he drove the Gypsy himself.Harish Dulani
Dismissing rumours of him having moved to Dubai after the incident, he said that on the contrary, he was insulted and fired by Arun Medicalwala, who according to Harish was the owner of the cab company.
I did go to the lower court twice, but when I was summoned by the defence for cross-examination, I was threatened, my family was threatened. I only drive private cars of people I can trust. I am scared for my life. No one wants to hire me. My economic condition is at its worst... print media ruined my life.Harish Dulani
He told NDTV that he had confessed to be a witness in the case once before the magistrate. Maintaining that he still stood by his statement, he said that he would come forward again if he was provided with protection.
According to the chargesheet, Salman Khan shot dead a blackbuck at Bhawad village of Jodhpur on 26 September, 1998, and then a chinkara at Ghoda Farm on 28 September 1998.
(Source: Dainik Bhaskar and NDTV)
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