By Apurva Bhatt

Bollywood Superstar Salman Khan revealed on Friday that neither was he drunk nor was he driving the vehicle in the Bandra road mishap case in 2002.

This was Khan's first statement in court 13 years since the accident in which one person was killed and four others injured. Khan was charged with culpable homicide not amounting to murder. Khan said in court in response to a question by judge D W Deshpande, "The accident was not caused by me". His driver Ashok Singh was at the wheel and he was sitting in the passenger seat next to him when the Land Cruiser slammed into the shutters of the American Express Bakery on Bandra's Hill Road in the early hours of September 28, 2002, the actor claimed and went on to rebut almost every accusation of the prosecution. 

The prosecution had alleged that Khan had been drinking at Rain Bar in Juhu and J W Marriot hotel. Referring to one of the witnesses, a waiter, the judge said he had deposed that Khan was seen holding a white glass in his hand. Khan said he had only been drinking water. He claimed the car was not speeding and a front tyre burst, leading to the accident. 

Dressed in white full-sleeved shirt and denims, Khan took off his ear ring before taking his stand at the sessions court in Kala Ghoda at 11.40am. Standing throughout, he fielded 419 questions put to him over two hours and 45 minutes before a courtroom packed with lawyers, court staffers and other litigants, many present only to catch a glimpse of the star.

The eight fans provided little relief to anyone on the hot and humid day and Khan was repeatedly seen wiping sweat with his hands. Khan had arrived with sisters Alvira and Arpita and bodyguard Shera to make the statements under section 313 of the Criminal Procedure Code that affords an opportunity to the accused to explain the circumstances and allegations against him and answer questions on the evidence.