Mumbai: Two killed after drunk lawyer, driving on wrong side, rams taxi

According to the police, Gadkar, who was alone in her vehicle, was in an inebriated state and was driving on the wrong side. She has been charged with rash driving and culpable homicide not amounting to murder and sent to police custody. A company spokesperson confirmed that she has an advisory role with RIL.

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“The only thing she claims she remembers is getting onto the freeway,” said Sangramsinh Nishandar, DCP, Zone VI. Police said they were alerted about the accident at 1:20 am on Tuesday.

Initial investigations have reportedly revealed that Gadkar was driving at over 120 kmph and had dodged two vehicles before crashing into the taxi. The persons in the two vehicles reportedly turned around to follow Gadkar’s speeding car, and are now witnesses in the case.

According to the police, Gadkar has admitted that she entered the wrong carriageway of the expressway and continued to drive for at least 10 kilometres till she hit the taxi. “We have got her custody for a day and are verifying all her claims. We will speak to everyone who she interacted with. It is a fact that she was drunk,” said Nishandar. Police said her medical test confirmed the presence of alcohol in her blood.

Emphasising the impact of the collision, police said in the remand plea that a fire brigade team had to cut open the vehicles to rescue the victims and remove the bodies. The remand plea also claimed that Gadkar, a resident of Chembur, was involved in another accident in the Govandi-Chembur area some days ago.

“I was on my way home and witnessed the crash… The woman tried to offer money. She was wearing a white top and was probably in jeans… (she) was evidently drunk,” claimed Hasan Khan (28), adding that residents of the nearby MHADA housing society detained Gadkar and ensured that she couldn’t flee.

Parvin Ansari, a resident of the MHADA colony, said she heard the crash and rushed to see what had happened. “The taxi had turned over. The people in the front seat were motionless… I saw a woman bleeding from her head,” she said.

The injured woman has been identified as Hafiza, who is in the ICU with three fractures and a contused lacerated wound in the head. Salma also sustained a contused lacerated wound on the face, while Sadia suffered a pelvic bone fracture.

Numan, who escaped unhurt, buried his father on Tuesday night. An elderly relative waiting outside the ICU recalled how happy Saboonwala was about his son’s results and the success of his soap shop.

Meanwhile, Gadkar’s lawyer, J Jaypuri, told the court that Section 304(II) does not “exist in the current case”. For the section to be applied, there must be an intention to commit murder or culpable homicide, he argued. “The police is exaggerating the charges. It should be 304(a)(rash and negligent driving),” he said.

— With inputs from MEGHNA YELLURUInebriated lawyer in Audi on wrong side of expressway hits taxi with family returning home after celebrating son’s exam results: Police