Unsure if Salman Khan was drunk, bar manager tells court

MUMBAI: A manager of liquor bar in Juhu today identified Salman Khan in a Mumbai court, saying the actor had come to the restaurant with friends hours before his car was involved in an accident in 2002, but said he was not sure whether the Bollywood actor had taken drinks.

The prosecution's case is that the actor had taken drinks in "Rain Bar" along with his friends and was allegedly under the influence of liquor on September 28, 2002, when his car rammed into a bakery in suburban Bandra killing one person and injuring four others.

"Salman's group had ordered drinks and snacks but I am not sure whether Salman had consumed drinks himself as the order had been taken by a waiter and not me," Rizwan, who was the manager of "Rain Bar" at the relevant time, told the court of Sessions Judge D W Deshpande.

As the restaurant was full, Salman and his brother Sohail Khan were standing in front of service counter. After some time they occupied a table and ordered drinks and snacks, Rizwan said during examination.

"I saw Salman holding a glass but it was full with a colourless liquid like water," said the Manager.

Asked if it was liquor, Rizwan said he was not sure because the order had been taken down by a waiter.

Rizwan further said that he had escorted the group to the main door of the restaurant when they were leaving the bar between 1.15 am to 1.30 a.m.

"However, Salman was not smelling of liquor and he was also walking like a normal person," said the manager in reply to a question put by prosecutor Jagannath Kenjralkar.

Rizwan was shown bills of the particular table which was occupied by Salman and his group. He identified the bills saying that these belonged to "Rain Bar".

During cross-examination by Salman's lawyer Srikant Shivade, Rizwan said that from his cabin he could not see who was standing at the counter as the lights in the restaurant were dim. He further said it is not possible to say who was consuming drinks and having snacks.

Earlier a waiter of the same bar had identified Salman coming to the restaurant with friends. He had also said that he had not noticed the actor consuming drinks, although his group had ordered.

Both these witnesses were examined by the prosecution to convince the court that the actor had consumed drinks before the mishap on the ill-fated day.