HYDERABAD: Imagine you are booked for a traffic violation, may be for rash and negligent driving. You are required to attend a one-hour mandatory counselling session (in case of first offence) on the nearest date provided, without fail.
But hold on, the rule is not the same if you happen to be the son of a Union minister. For, in all probability, you may get a special consideration on 'humanitarian grounds'!
The case in question is that of Shri Karthik, son of Union minister Sujana Chowdary, who was caught on the night of April 15 for driving his sports car, a Porsche, in a rash and negligent manner near KBR Park.
The vehicle was seized by police and Karthik was directed to appear for a counselling session
Tendays have passed and Shri Karthik is yet to attend the session. Karthik got married on April 21 and a reception followed on April 23. Police officials maintain that a responsible family member has given a written undertaking with a request to postpone the counselling session by about 15 days as the family was busy with the marriage ceremony.
Meanwhile, the fine amount was paid and the car was returned to the family. The newly-wed couple is reported to have left for some foreign locales post-marriage.
But can a layman make a similar request and succeed in convincing the police authorities? A police officer, without wishing to be named, said counselling makes sense for those who are incorrigible. "It is also some elementary stuff like showing of some gory video footage. It can be insulting for a person with high educational qualification," said the officer. Apparently, Karthik is a Business Management and Entrepreneurship graduate from the US.
Revealing the syllubus for counselling session, traffic inspector at the Begumpet Traffic Training Institute, said: “The ill effects and consequences of various traffic violations including drunk driving and how such an incident can impact their families are explained to them by showing video films, accident analysis etc. In an hour’s time, most of them go blank, some apologise."
"It is not because the person involved is a Union minister’s son that we gave him time. Anyone can make a request to us and if it is reasonable enough, we will consider. If a man is injured in an accident while violating the rules, we cannot ask him to come for counseling," said a senior traffic official.