The Mumbai police commissioner is planning to pull up the police inspector attached to Marine Drive police station for presenting frivolous grounds in the remand application of hit-and-run accused Sushil Kothari. The police had argued in court that if Kothari’s custody is not granted, it could lead to communal riots as the victims are Muslim and the accused is a Hindu.
“We are taking stern steps to ensure such a thing does not happen again. There was no need to mention such grounds in the remand application. The officer also knows that he has done wrong and has admitted it. We will take action against him,” Mumbai police chief Sanjeev Dayal told DNA.
Meanwhile, the Marine Drive police have completed the process of recording statements of eyewitnesses and of getting reports from the hospital and traffic department.
“The eyewitness statements, medical reports, and traffic police report of the breathalyser test have confirmed that Kothari was heavily drunk at the time of the incident. The statements corroborate police investigations,” said senior police inspector Z Gharal of Marine Drive police station.
He added that the police are also in the process of writing to the Region Transport Office to suspend Kothari’s driving licence. Kothari is in police custody till September 4.
Kothari was returning home from a party when his vehicle struck a two wheeler at Marine Drive. While the driver of the vehicle, Abdul Jalil Abdul Shaikh, sustained severe injuries, the pillion rider, Habib Zulfikar Mohammad Qureshi, succumbed. Both were residents of Nagpada and were returning home after namaaz.
Kothari then sped towards Walkeshwar, where he ran into three parked vehicles before being caught by the police. Kothari was booked for culpable homicide, and rash and negligent driving.
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