BENGALURU: Mohammed Haris Nalapad, son of Shantinagar Congress MLA NA Haris, is in news for wrong reasons again. He has been accused of causing series of accidents, leaving four people injured, and escaping from the spot. The Sadashivanagar traffic police have issued him a notice to appear before them in this connection. Police said the incident occurred at Mekhri Circle underpass around 2.30 pm on Sunday.
Nalapad, who was allegedly at the wheels of the luxury car, was overspeeding and driving in a rash and negligent manner. He hit a bike that was in front of the car and also an autorickshaw. The bike rider and pillion fell to the ground while auto driver Suhail, passengers Sabiha and her six-year-old son also sustained injuries.
“When the police reached the spot, a person, who identified himself as Balu alias Babu, claimed that he was driving the car. He was taken into custody and the car was seized. However, during the probe, eyewitnesses revealed that it was another person who was driving the car and had escaped after the accident,” a senior police officer said.
We have info that Nalapad was at the wheel: Police
“When CCTV footage was checked, it was established that Nalapad was driving the car when the accident occurred. It was found that he left behind the car and escaped in another car which was following him. Hence, we have issued him a notice to appear before the investigation officer. Based on the findings of the investigation, we will decide whether we should arrest Balu for trying to the shield the culprit,” the senior police officer added.
Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic) B R Ravikanthegowda said the police had issued notice only after obtaining crucial evidence. “As we have definite information that it was Nalapad who was driving the car, we have served a notice on him,” he added.
Police said that all the four injured in the accident had sustained minor injuries and the case was registered based on the complaint filed by auto driver Suhail. The accused has been booked for rash driving, causing hurt by endangering life or personal safety of others and under the provisions of the Indian Motor Vehicles Act.It is also alleged that the car, bearing registration number TS-09-UC-0009, was involved in several violations of the MV Act. “The actual colour of the car is wine red, but its colour has been completely changed to black,” a source said.
Nalapad had hit the headlines in February 2018 after he, along with some of his associates, had brutally assaulted a youth in a pub located in UB City. He had spent more than 100 days in jail in the case and is currently out on bail.