Police say lawyer Janhavi Gadkar could have driven around 11 kilometres on the wrong side of Mumbai's Eastern Freeway before crashing head-on into a taxi, killing two poeple. (Press Trust of India photo)
A Mumbai court will today hear the bail plea of Janhavi Gadkar, a 35-year-old lawyer who last Tuesday rammed a taxi with her Audi SUV in an allegedly drunken state. Two people had died in the accident.
Ms Gadkar has been booked for culpable homicide not amounting to murder which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.
Ms Gadkar had consumed alcohol twice that night, according to CCTV footage, sources have told NDTV. The first time she had allegedly consumed whisky at a sea-facing restaurant in south Mumbai to celebrate the occasion of her company bagging a project. After that she visited the Irish House Pub in south Mumbai with a top executive of Reliance Industries Limited (RIL).
"RIL CFO has received summons from the Mumbai Police in the matter concerning the road accident involving Ms Janhavi Gadkar. This is being disclosed to the stock exchanges as he is a key managerial personnel," RIL informed Securities & Exchange Board of India (SEBI).
The police claims Ms Gadkar misled them by saying she slept inside her car at Marine Drive for two hours to get sober to hide the fact that she had consumed more alcohol. Her presence at the pub has been confirmed by CCTV footage there. The police have seized the footage as also a copy of the bill.
Tests have showed that Ms Gadkar's blood samples had three times the permitted level of alcohol on the day of the accident. Under the Motor Vehicles Act, 30 mg of alcohol is the permissible limit for driving.
Police suspect Ms Gadkar drove recklessly for about 11 kilometres on the Eastern Freeway before crashing into the taxi in a head-on collision. Eyewitnesses have told NDTV that the lawyer's car was travelling at a very high speed with music blaring.
The victims have likened Ms Gadkar's act to murder and have demanded strictest punishment. What's angered them further is the lawyer's alleged offer to pay and leave the spot of the accident.