CHENNAI: A Chennai court on Thursday sentenced Shaji Purushothaman, director of EMPEE group of companies, to five years of rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 in connection with a 2013 drunk driving crash in Egmore that claimed the life of a 13-year-old boy and left five others injured.
The crash occurred in the early hours of May 23, 2013. According to prosecution, Shaji was driving his car at high speed and under the influence of alcohol, along with his friends Kumar Syed Anwar and Anil Rao.
He lost control of the vehicle near the Egmore Maternity Hospital. Police said the car first rammed a police patrol vehicle before ploughing into a bus shelter. Raja Mohideen alias Mohamed (19) and Mani (19), who were fixing a banner, along with three children sleeping at the bus stop with their grandmother, were injured in the crash. One of the boys, 13-year-old Muniraj, succumbed to his injuries the following day.
As Shaji failed to appear when the verdict was scheduled on June 30, 2026, the court issued a non-bailable warrant against him. Police formed a special team, searched for him in Mumbai and Delhi, and issued a Look Out Circular.
He surrendered before the IV Additional Sessions Court on Thursday. The court convicted Shaji under Sections 304(II) (culpable homicide) and 308 (attempt to commit culpable homicide) of the IPC, besides provisions of Motor Vehicles Act.