Sunday, March 12 2006 11:58 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Mumbai: Ravindra Patil, former bodyguard of Bollywood actor Salman Khan and an eyewitness in a hit-and-run case was arrested from Mahableshwar after a non-bailable warrant was issued against him, police sources said.

The non-bailable warrant was issued against him as he failed to appear for trial in the case in which Salman Khan is accused of killing one person and injuring four by ramming his car in to a bakery in suburban Bandra on September 28, 2002.

Even after the warrant was issued he did not appear on four occasions and was reported missing. Crime Branch sleuths arrested him from Mahabaleshwar last might and brought him to Mumbai. He has been lodged in Bandra jail and will be produced before a holiday magistrate today, police sources added.

The court had issued non-bailable warrant against Patil on February seven when he failed to turn up. Again on February 10 he did not appear and the court re-issued the warrant by asking him to appear on February 16. Even on that day and later on March 2 he failed to appear in the case.

Meanwhile, the trial in the hit-and-run case will resume on March 16 with the deposition of Patil.

Patil has already tendered evidence before the court but his cross-examination is still pending, Salman's lawyer Dipesh Mehta told sources.

Patil, an eye witness in the case, was accompanying Salman when the actor met with the accident.

He had also told the police that Salman was under the influence of liquor and had advised the actor not to drive rashly or else he would meet with an accident.