Giving a sensational twist to the ongoing re-trial of Bollywood actor Salman Khan in the accident case, his lawyer Shrikant Shivade on Friday argued that one of the victims could have died because of the impact of the car falling off while being lifted by a crane.

Salman's vehicle had rammed into the American Express Bakery in Bandra West early morning of September 28, 2002. One pavement dweller, Nurulah Mahboob Sharif, died in the accident while Munna Malai Khan, Kalim M. Pathan, Abdullah Rauf Sheikh and Muslim Shaikh sustained injuries.

"There are incriminating circumstances to suggest that the car dropped on the persons who were under it when it was being lifted with the help of a crane brought in by police after the accident," Shivade said in his ongoing final arguments in the case before Additional Sessions Judge D.W. Deshpande.

He further pointed out that the injury certificates of the four people suggested that the injuries were because of "friction" and "dragging", the autopsy of the deceased victim Sharif showed that he was "crushed".

"He (Sharif) was crushed as some heavy object fell on him," Shivade told Judge Deshpande, adding that the car weighed around 3,000 kg.

Shivade pointed to the autopsy report which suggested that the head, chest, lungs, thorax, larynx, trachea and bronchia were crushed completely.

"Can a person in such a condition cry for help," he said, suggesting that Sharif could have died because of the impact of the car falling off while being lifted by the crane.

He also termed as "misleading" the statement of one of the injured witnesses, who said Sharif was below the car and screamed and shouted till the crane lifted the vehicle.

The latest is that Salman would appear before Jodhour court on 23 April.

(Source: IANS)