Salman Khan house firing: Bombay HC orders removal of actor's name from custodial death petition

Bombay High Court/ File Photo

The Bombay High Court ordered on Monday that actor Salman Khan's name be removed as a respondent in a petition demanding a CBI inquiry into the custody death of Anuj Thapan, an accused in a shooting outside Khan's mansion.

On May 1, Anuj Thapan, an accused in the Salman Khan house firing case, was found dead in the toilet of the crime branch police lock-up. Rita Devi, Thapan's mother, filed the petition, alleging foul play and claiming that her son was murdered, not died by suicide, reported PTI.

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According to the report, a division bench of Justices Revati Mohite-Dere and Shyam Chandak directed Devi to amend her plea to remove Khan's name, stating that no allegations or reliefs were sought against him.

"Delete his name. Petitioner seeks leave to amend the petition to delete the name of respondent 4 (Salman Khan) as there is no pleading against him and no relief sought against him," the court said per the PTI report.

On April 14, two men on motorcycles opened fire outside Salman Khan's Bandra home. Vicky Gupta and Sagar Pal, the alleged shooters, were later apprehended in Gujarat. Thapan was detained on April 26 in Punjab for allegedly supplying firearms to the shooters of the Salman Khan house firing case.

The court stressed that because no redress was sought against Khan and no claims were made, there was no reason to keep him involved in the plea. The petition should remain focused on Thapan's death, the report added.

"What is the point of making a person who is supposed to be the victim a party respondent? We see no reason why respondent 4 should continue to be in this plea. He is not a necessary party. You (petitioner) are concerned with the death of your son...that the court will look into...but what is the point of impleading respondent 4 in the plea," the bench asked while hearing the petition filed by the Salman Khan house firing accused's mother.

"This is too far-fetched. No relief is sought against him (Salman Khan) and no averment or allegation is made against him," the court added.

Per the PTI report, Rita Devi's lawyer claimed that, while they were not seeking direct remedy against Khan, he should be included in the state Crime Investigation Department's (CID) investigation into Thapan's death. The court stated that the CID would decide Khan's role.

Additional Public Prosecutor Prajakta Shinde informed the court that a magisterial inquiry had been launched, and a status report on the CID investigation had been given to the High Court. The court ordered the magistrate to send Devi a new summons to record her statement, further stated the news agency report.

The case has been scheduled for a subsequent hearing in six weeks.