In another instance of selective leniency by the law enforcing bodies, a minor son of a builder in Ahmedabad, detained in connection with a hit-and-run accident in the city’s Bopal area on Saturday, was let off by the Juvenile Justice Board for allowing him to take his BBA exam.
A manhunt has been launched to arrest his absconding father, police said.
The 17-year-and-eight-month-old boy was driving a Mercedes, when he ran over a 34-year-old security guard, leading to his death, and fled the spot. The car was later seized by the police.
The deceased, identified as Govind Singh, was on night duty outside Shashwat Apartments in Bopal with his brother Jaswant Singh (44) — the complainant — when the accident took place.
The boy was detained and presented before the Juvenile Justice Board, where he was let off immediately by the juvenile court because he had to take exams.
According to the FIR, “The minor was driving the luxury vehicle at high speed and lost control of the vehicle” subsequently hitting the security guard. Police are also awaiting the minor’s blood test reports to ascertain if he was driving in an intoxicated condition.
On Saturday, both guards were on duty at 11:30 pm when the victim went to a shop opposite the society. Around 11:45 pm, the complainant “heard a loud bang of an accident” and went to investigate.
He found his brother Govind Singh bleeding profusely from head and leg. Meanwhile, the locals informed him that a car being driven “at full speed, hit the guard and drove off”, said the police. Later, the victim was rushed to GMERS Sola Civil Hospital, where doctors declared him dead.
The police had also moved a local court in Ahmedabad to add the name of the minor’s father as a co-accused in the FIR, which was granted.
Later, when the police team arrived at the accused’s house, he was absconding.
The father was booked under the Motor Vehicle Act and named co-accused in the same FIR. Multiple police teams have been deployed to arrest the father.
The incident took place on Saturday night and an FIR was filed early Sunday morning. Police took two days to trace the car after scanning the CCTV footages. They again took time to gather details such as the car’s number plate, owner’s identity and check who was behind the wheel at the time of the incident.
An FIR into the matter was filed under Sections 281 (rash or negligent driving putting lives of public in danger), 125(b) (causing grievous hurt) and 106 (causing death by negligence) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, as well as Sections 177 (fine for contravention), 184 (driving a vehicle in speed or dangerous manner) and 134(b) (not providing information to a police officer) of the Motor Vehicle Act.
On Wednesday, section 199(a) of the MV Act was added to the FIR which deals with “if a juvenile commits a motor vehicle offence, the parent or guardian of such juvenile or the owner of the motor vehicle is held liable and punished accordingly.”
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