The Madras High Court on Thursday refused anticipatory bails to P Shaji and his father and chairman of Empee Group, M P Purushothaman, in connection with an accident involving a Mercedez Benz car here on May 23.
Dismissing the petition of Shaji, vacation judge CT Selvam said the offences were grave in nature. “Already a 13 year-old boy has died. Another child is in a critical condition... it is not a fit case to consider anticipatory bail plea,” he said.
With regard to Purushothaman, the judge said he might appear before the police at 11 am on June 6. He might have an advocate with him. But, the advocate should not in any way interfere with the police in the conduct of their duty, the judge said and dismissed his advance bail application.
Earlier, in his counter-affidavit, the assistant commissioner (traffic) Anna Square, stated that Shaji drove the car in a rash and negligent manner under the influence of alcohol and ran over people sleeping on the pavement on May 23 at Egmore. Thirteen-year-old Muniraj died and two children sustained grievous injuries.
Shaji, Kumar, Anwar and a fourth person, who were in drunken state, were heard making noise at Elconso Apartment where Shaji was staying. Though they were cautioned by some of the witnesses not to drive the car under the influence of alcohol, they were in no mood to listen. Shaji drove the vehicle with the three persons, the traffic police official contended.
Several eyewitnesses corroborated the chain of events, the official said. It was not correct to state that the driver lost control of the car as a patrol vehicle came in the wrong direction on the one-way road as there was no one way in Pantheon Road after 2000 hrs, he added. One of the abettors was arrested and sent for judicial custody.
Shaji was cited as accused in the FIR itself. Though there was ample evidence to prove that Shaji was the main accused, the petitioner was allowed to go free from the police station for which the station house officer was placed under suspension.