Apex Court: Rich Brats Speeding In High-End Cars Can’t Seek Relief

Background Facts

• Son of Kolkata’s Biryani baron Akhtar Parwez, Raghib, caused the death of two Bangladeshi Nationals.
• He was driving his Jaguar F-Pace at a speed of 130-135 km per hour when he hit a Mercedes and crashed into three persons standing under the police control booth.

Investigation and Proceedings

• The Counsel, Kapil Sibal, requested that he suffers from Bipolar Affective Disorder and is on heavy medication and he had cooperated with the investigation procedure. Once his elder brother was arrested, he returned and surrendered within 48 hours.
• He had been kept at home on interim bail, so the counsel told the bench that no purpose would be served by sending him to jail when he had been in the jail for 8 months and was granted interim bail only after that.
• Responding to the request of the counsel, the Court stated that if the accused was a mental illness patient then he should not have been allowed to drive the vehicle for which his parents should be put behind the prison.

Observation of the Court

• The Court held that the accused has to face trial and the mental condition is to be determined by competent Court.
• The Court stated that the accused fled to Dubai after the accident and the counsel had also attempted to change the driver which does not warrant any relief.
• The prosecution had cited 63 witnesses recording which would take a long time and would be violative of the petitioner’s fundamental rights under Article 21 of the Constitution.
• The High Court had denied the bail and ordered the accused to surrender before the Chief Judge, City Sessions Court of Calcutta.
• The Court observed that rich brats driving their cars with such high speeds cannot be granted any relief. He had skipped 48 traffic lights in seven months before the accident occurred and this cannot be taken lightly.
• A Special Leave Petition was filed before the Supreme Court which the Court dismissed.

Is the accused entitled to be acquitted? Tell us in the comments below.