NEW DELHI: Delhi Police on Tuesday confirmed that Gaganpreet Makkar, the driver involved in the fatal BMW crash near Dhaula Kuan, tested negative for alcohol consumption.
The accident, which occurred on Sunday afternoon, claimed the life of Navjot Singh, a Deputy Secretary in the Ministry of Finance, and left his wife injured. The incident took place when Navjot and his wife, Sandeep Kaur (50), a school teacher, were returning home after visiting Bangla Sahib Gurdwara and having lunch at Karnataka Bhawan.
While riding their motorcycle, they were hit by a BMW allegedly driven by Gaganpreet. Police said Gaganpreet has been arrested and sent to two days’ judicial custody. Charges have been filed under IPC Sections 281 (rash driving), 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 238 (causing disappearance of evidence), and 125B (acts endangering life).
The Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) has examined the vehicle as part of the investigation. Navjot’s last rites were performed on Tuesday, a day that also marked his son Navnoor’s 22nd birthday. His wife, still recovering, was brought in on a stretcher to bid him a final farewell.
A close friend of the family said, “I have not only lost a friend, but a brother. The pain is beyond words. It’s even more heartbreaking that today was also his son’s birthday.”
Police said Gaganpreet took the victims to GTB Hospital, 20 km away, claiming she panicked and was familiar with the hospital because her children had been admitted there during the Covid pandemic. Her statement is being verified.
Navjot had ordered an air fryer and a shirt as a birthday gift for his son. “Navnoor received the gifts on Tuesday morning,” said a family friend. “He didn’t know what to feel.”