Delhi court denies bail to accused in Karol Bagh road rage death case

Additional sessions judge Shilpi Jain of Tis Hazari courts observed that the victim, 66-year-old Praveen Gulati, was a heart patient and the assault ultimately caused his death

NEW DELHI

The court also noted that appropriate sections were yet to be invoked in the FIR, due to which he cannot be released on bail. (Shutterstock)

A Delhi court denied the bail plea of an accused in a road rage death incident that took place in Karol Bagh on October 15, noting that the 27-year-old accused dragged an elderly man out of his car, mercilessly assaulted him on his chest and face, and left him to die.

Additional sessions judge Shilpi Jain of Tis Hazari courts observed that the victim, 66-year-old Praveen Gulati, was a heart patient and the assault ultimately caused his death, subsequently denying bail to accused Dhruv Sharma. The court also noted that appropriate sections were yet to be invoked in the FIR, due to which he cannot be released on bail.

Around 2pm on October 15, Sharma and Gulati got into a scuffle when Sharma’s vehicle brushed against Gulati’s car at a traffic junction at Paharganj. A few minutes later, when both cars reached Pusa Road, Sharma dragged Gulati out of his vehicle and assaulted him, despite pleas from his driver to let the victim go as he was a heart patient, according to the case details.

After the assault, the accused drove away and Gulati was admitted to Ganga Ram Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.

Sharma, in his bail plea, contended that the scuffle was minor and he was being falsely implicated for the offence of culpable homicide or murder. Further, he claimed to have no knowledge about the medical history of the deceased.

The victim’s side was represented by advocate Rakesh Malhotra, while advocate DK Sharma appeared for the accused.

The order of the court said, “…the applicant started beating the deceased despite being informed by the driver that he is a heart patient, who had suffered multiple cardiac arrests…as they reached Pusa Road, accused again attacked them and gave beatings to the deceased with fists and blows, he dragged deceased out of the car and gave continuous beatings while he was lying on the ground”.

Further, the court observed that the post-mortem examination report in the case was yet to be received, following which more stringent sections might be invoked in the FIR. “It is further revealed that there is apprehension that the accused can tamper with the evidence…threaten witnesses and can jump the bail on being released,” the court said.