Weeks after Delhi resident Sahil Dhaneshra, 23, was killed after a Mahindra Scorpio SUV driven by a 17-year-old rammed into his bike, the minor's father has spoken to the media, expressing regret over the incident.
The father said his family is “deeply grief-stricken” and acknowledged that the vehicle involved is part of their commercial transport business, according to Hindustan Times.
Police identified the driver as 17-year-old Akshatra Singh, who has been detained. The post-mortem report stated that Sahil, who died at the scene, suffered a fractured skull, multiple rib fractures, and an elbow injury due to the collision with the Scorpio SUV.
The Delhi Police have also registered a case against the boy's father under the Motor Vehicles Act, holding him responsible as the vehicle owner, the Hindustan Times reported.
After being questioned by the police, the father spoke to reporters and said he was not in the city when the accident occurred.
“My wife told me about the accident. I didn't know my son was driving,” he said, adding that his son was on his way to drop his daughter somewhere.
“I am regretful that this happened. I can imagine what pain the [victim's] family must be going through,” he added.
He said he would follow the law fully. “My son and daughter were in the car. I run a commercial vehicle business. The vehicle is used in our business, and the challan on the vehicle is because of our drivers who drive it. This is not because of my son. This is a heartbreaking incident,” he told news agency ANI.
The father further said, “He (accused) is very disturbed. There is deep grief in the entire family, for that family as well as for ourselves. We cooperated with the police...the police asked me for documents. We provided all the documents. No, I was unaware (that my daughter was making a reel), and it wasn't a reel, but a short video.”
The crash happened around 11:50 am on Feb. 3 near Lal Bahadur Shastri Institute of Management in Sector 11.
Police said the Scorpio hit a Yamaha R15 motorcycle, killing rider Dhaneshra on the spot, and then hit a parked Swift Dzire, injuring cab driver Ajit Singh.
The minor driver was caught at the scene, and a case was registered under sections 281 (rash driving), 106(1) (death by negligence), and 125(a) (act endangering life) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
Quoting Deputy Commissioner of Police (Dwarka) Ankit Singh, The Hindustan Times reported him as saying that the boy's father had also been booked under Section 199A of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, which holds guardians or vehicle owners liable when a minor commits a traffic offence.
“Initially, the boy had lied about his age. Now, based on the findings, the father of the boy will be chargesheeted under the MV Act,” the DCP was quoted as saying.
The minor was produced before the Juvenile Justice Board on Feb. 4 and sent to an observation home. On Feb. 10, he was granted interim bail to appear for his Class 10 board examinations.
Meanwhile, the victim's mother in a video said her son was killed by a “reckless teen” just 10 minutes from his workplace. Dhaneshra, who worked part-time at an insurance firm, had planned to travel to the UK later this year for higher studies. “My son was lying on the road for 10 minutes. Help came late. I want action against the boy. He should not have been driving,” she said.
Also Read: Delhi SUV Case: Teen Released On Bail For Class 10 Exam One Week After Fatal Crash
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