The police confirmed what had been suspected throughout: that Rakshit Chaurasia, the accused in the Vadodara car crash that left a woman dead and seven others injured last month, had consumed drugs before driving.
The medical report is finally out 20 days after the ghastly episode.
The accused, a student at the Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, had denied being drunk or over-speeding. He claimed the car’s airbags impaired his vision while driving.
“We received the result of the three blood samples today, which showed positive for drugs. They were driving the car after smoking marijuana. We have arrested Rakshit Chaurasia’s co-passenger and the third accused will be arrested soon,” Deputy Commissioner of Police, Zone 4, Panna Momaya said.
The primary report of the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) in Gandhinagar – that tested the accused’s blood sample – revealed that Rakshit had smoked marijuana.
The blood samples of his co-passenger Praanshu Chauhan, and another friend, who was in the car during the crash, Suresh Bharwad, have also tested positive for drugs.
According to reports, police have booked all three accused under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, and invoked Section 185 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, against Chaurasia, which makes it a criminal offence to drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
Chaurasia is lodged at the Vadodara Central Jail. The third accused is on the run.
Chaurasia, a 23-year-old law student from Prayagraj, crashed the Volkswagen Virtus sedan he was driving into three vehicles. One woman, Hemali Patel, succumbed to injuries. The incident occurred near Amrapali Chaar Rasta in Karelibag, a busy intersection in Vadodara.
A video of his disturbing reaction went viral. In it, the 23-year-old accused, who is studying law, repeatedly shouted: “Another round, another round!” and “Om Namah Shivay!”
