Actor Vikram Chatterjee's plea for relief in death of model and TV host Sonika Chauhan in a car crash last year was rejected by a Kolkata court today. The court said there was enough evidence to frame charges against him and that will be done on December 3.
Ms Chauhan's lawyer has welcomed the court decision. Vikram Chatterjee's lawyer said they will approach the High Court.
Mr Chatterjee was driving the car that crashed on April 29, 2017 in Kolkata. Ms Chauhan, who was in the passenger seat died in the crash.
He had, however, claimed he was "neither drunk nor speeding" when the car crashed and had pleaded that he be discharged from the case. The police report of Mr Chatterjee's blood test was negative for alcohol, but it said that the car was being driven at 95 to 105 kmph at time of crash.
But the court felt there was enough evidence to indicate that Mr Chatterjee knew his driving could cause a crash and death.
The police had filed charges against Mr Chatterjee for culpable homicide not amounting to murder.
Last week, when Mr Chatterjee had pleaded for discharge, Sonika Chauhan's parents, who had come to court, were disturbed but had expressed hope for justice.
"Vikram Chatterjee has filed for his discharge. We expect a speedy trial," Sanjay Basu, the family's lawyer, had said.
Soon after Ms Chauhan's death, Mr Chatterjee told reporters he was neither drunk nor speeding, contesting claims by her friends that he had consumed alcohol before offering to drop her home.
As they were going down Rashbehari Avenue in south Kolkata around 3.30 am, the car Mr Chatterjee was driving crashed into a divider in the middle of the road and then into a lamp post on the other side of the road. A severely injured Sonika and Mr Chatterjee were rushed to hospital where she died.
The actor is currently playing the male lead on a popular TV show.
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