Mumbai: Session's Court Acquits Woman For Causing Deaths While Learning To Drive

In a recent development, a sessions court in Mumbai acquitted a woman who rammed her car into two bicycling children while learning to drive. The Court observed that the acquittal was due to a lack of evidence. Moreover, they also pointed out that the Police investigated casually. Furthermore, the Court also acquitted her husband, who was allegedly teaching her to drive when the incident occurred at Cuffe Parade in 2016.

Investigation Conducted Casually

Sangitadevi Rai and Santoshkumar Rai were booked on charges including section 304 (causing death due to negligence), 279 (rash and negligent driving) of the Indian Penal Code and other sections of the Motor Vehicle Act. The Police said that the woman banged her car into two minor siblings who were bicycling.

Principal Judge Urmila Joshi Phalke noted that the investigating officer had not attempted to collect the evidence on record to show that the vehicle was either owned by the second accused or the said vehicle, though not owned by the accused, at the relevant time it had both the accused".

'No Blame Could Be Put On Minor Children'

She further added that there was no record mentioning that accused number 1 and 2 were the vehicle owners or were in the custody of the vehicle when the incident happened. The accused's lawyer had also raised the issue that the children were not wearing safety gear like helmets, to which the Court retorted that no blame could be put on minor children. However, it mentioned that it was the driver's duty to take care of the pedestrians.

The Court also mentioned that even though the children's mother cannot be adequately compensated in money for her loss, it was to be ensured that the victims were not forgotten in the criminal justice system.

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