Family says beautician not drunk,cops say have confession

“She claimed in her statement that at 10 pm she left from her Colaba home for a party at a friend’s house in Breach Candy,and from there she left for home at 11.45 pm. On the way she picked up beers and drank some and kept the rest in her car. From there she drove at 120 kph towards Colaba. There were no skid marks,which indicates she did not apply the brakes even as she approached the police vehicles,” said senior police inspector A P Borude,LT Marg. The police are waiting for a motor vehicle report,a chemical report and a report from the manufacturer if the car had any fault.

Dr Yusuf Haveliwala,Nooriya’s father,insists it was probably a vehicle fault,calling her a responsible driver and only a social drinker. “My daughter has no alcohol problem. She may have merely sipped a beer before driving back home. Even the four beers found in the back seat were unopened. The accident was not because of my daughter’s drinking,” said Dr Haveliwala,a retired psychiatrist from the US Army Reserves.

Nooriya Haveliwala has been educated mostly in the US,doing a fashion design course at the Savannah Institute,Georgia and,after the family’s return,a beautician’s course in India

“She had taken a Benadryl tablet for her cough and cold before going out,but is not on any other medication,” her father said. He said she had sounded sober on the phone,both before leaving and after the accident. “She told me she had tried to get out of the car to help the injured but the police had come by then,” he said. “We are thankful she escaped unscathed but have great remorse for the lives lost. We are willing to help the families in whatever way we can.”

The family failed to meet senior PI Borude,who could have given permission to meet Nooriya Haveliwala. Dr Haveliwala said they would try to meet her on Monday.

DCP (Zone II) Sanjay Mohite said they were recording the statements of eyewitnesses. JCP (Law and Order) Himanshu Roy said they were collecting scientific and forensic evidence to boost their case. “Her samples have been sent for alcohol and drug tests,” said Roy.

Another accident
A couple,allegedly drunk,were involved in an accident that killed one of them on Sunday. Karim Sheikh,28,was riding a motorcycle,with Swapna Bhalekar,23,behind him,when the motorbike hit the divider,flinging Sheikh off and killing him. His body was found much later in a gap between the roads. Bhalekar is in hospital.