Goa Mercedes accident: Court grants anticipatory bail to car owner

On the evening of August 6, three persons were killed and at least three were injured after a Mercedes car allegedly hit multiple vehicles near the Banastari bridge, about 15 km from Panaji. Meghana’s husband, Paresh Sinai Sawardekar, was arrested in the case and the police said that the medical examination had confirmed that he was inebriated at the time of the incident. He was booked under Sections 279 (rash driving), 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 337 (causing hurt), 338 (Causing grievous hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others) of Indian Penal Code, sections 134(a), 134(b) and 185 of Motor Vehicle Act and Rule 6 of the MVR.

The prosecution argued that the applicant is having a medical condition and she had recently undergone craniotomy and sub-total excision of meningioma (brain surgery for tumour) and that if she is taken in custody, there is a possibility that she may suffer from seizures which may be fatal.

The court said that the applicant does not have a past criminal record and since she is a local resident, there is no possibility of her fleeing from justice.

Last week, the case was transferred to the crime branch after locals and eye-witnesses had accused the police of conducting a “lopsided probe”.