Rajasthan MLA’s son held for ‘mowing down’ 3 in Jaipur, police say he was drunk

“The incident took place at about 1.20 am on Saturday near Saint Xavier Senior Secondary School in Ashok Nagar. MLA Nandkishore Maharia’s son was driving the BMW which rammed into an autorickshaw and killed three of the four persons inside. It subsequently rammed into a stationary police van, injuring four policemen,” Ashok Nagar police station SHO Bala Ram said.

WATCH | BMW, Auto-Rickshaw Collision Claims 3 Lives

Apart from Siddharth, his cousin Jayant was in the car. Jayant has been detained and is being questioned.

While Siddharth, 24, and Maharia claimed it was their driver, Ramesh, who was at the wheel, police said only Siddharth and Jayant were in the car.

Additional SP Yogesh Goyal said Siddharth had been drinking. “Siddharth’s breath was checked immediately after the incident through a breathalyzer and the results showed blood alcohol concentration of 152 mg, beyond the permissible 30 mg. We have sent his blood samples to the Forensic Science Laboratory for tests.”

Talking to mediapersons before his arrest, Siddharth said, “There were three of us in the car. I, my young cousin, and the driver. We were looking for an ice-cream vendor. We had gone up to Rajmandir (cinema hall) to find an ice cream vendor but couldn’t find anyone so we asked our driver to take us back home.”

He claimed they were driving at “the normal speed of 50-60 (kmph)” and could see other cars in the distance. “There were two three-wheelers which were apparently racing each other. The driver could not see (the three-wheeler) till the last moment. Despite trying to avoid the auto, the edge of our car rammed into it. And while trying to avoid the auto, our car then rammed into a stationary PCR van.”

MLA’s son Siddharth and two others were in the vehicle which subsequently rammed into a stationary police van. (Source: Express photo by Mahim Pratap Singh)

The CCTV footage of the incident, however, showed the BMW ramming into the lone three-wheeler at very fast speed; the three-wheeler was going at a normal pace. The impact was such that the three-wheeler was completely mangled.

Siddharth also denied he was drunk. “I do not drink. And since I was not driving, it doesn’t matter if I was drunk.”

Nandkishore Maharia, who was elected from Fatehpur constituency in Sikar district, told The Sunday Express, “The vehicle was being driven by Ramesh and they were coming from the direction of Rajmandir cinema. It was dark and raining and the car hit a three-wheeler which was coming from the direction of Maharani College. The three-wheeler did not have a radium number plate. Subsequently, the car also hit a stationary police van.”

Asked about the BMW, the MLA said, “It belongs to our firm.”

He said Jayant, who was with Siddharth, was an engineering student in Bangalore.

“We are saddened that three persons died in the accident. It is unfortunate,” the MLA said.

Rubbishing the MLA’s claims, Jaipur Commissioner of Police Sanjay Agarwal said, “There were two persons in the BMW and Siddharth was the one driving. Hence he has been arrested while we are questioning his cousin.”

Anil Soni, Jethanand and Vishnu Das, had hired the autorickshaw from the Old City area, where they ran stalls or worked in small shops. The autorickshaw driver, Kailash, and Jethanand and Vishnu Das died while Anil Soni survived.

Ashok Nagar Assistant Sub-Inspector Rajju Singh was among the policemen who sustained injuries. “He has severe injuries on his head and in his right arm,” his son Jai Ram Singh said.

Driver Sitaram and Constables Jai Singh and Ramesh sustained minor injuries.

The FIR that was registered on Saturday evening lists charges under IPC 304 (punishment for culpable homicide not amounting to murder. Police said the FIR took time as they wanted to avoid any legal loopholes.