Mercedes hit-and-run case: Father of boy driving the car arrested

Manoj Agarawal was earlier questioned by the police after it emerged that his teenage son was driving the car that hit the business consultant while he was crossing a street.

The owner of a Mercedes car involved in a hit-and-run accident that killed a 33-year-old business consultant in Delhi was arrested on Friday, according to the police.

Father of 33-year-old Sidharth Sharma who was killed when a speeding Mercedes car allegedly driven by a teen, hit him while he was crossing the road on April 5, 2016, in New Delhi. (Hindustan Times)

Manoj Agarawal was earlier questioned by the police after it emerged that his teenage son was driving the car that hit the business consultant while he was crossing a street. The accident took place at the Sham Nath Marg in north Delhi’s Civil Lines area on Monday.

Police said the man, identified as Siddhartha Sharma, died on the spot after the speeding Mercedes car hit him.

A CCTV footage of the hit-and-run incident showed that the victim was flung at least 15 metres into the air after being hit by the car.

Passersby saw a group of youth stepping out of the car and fleeing the scene, leaving the vehicle at the spot after the accident.

Later, the businessman’s driver approached police and allegedly claimed that he was driving the car but changed his statement when he got to know that Sharma had died.

Police recorded eyewitnesses’ accounts and scanned dozens of CCTV grabs to ascertain the identity of the errant driver, who turned out to be the businessman’s 17-year old son. The boy was apprehended on Tuesday and later released on bail as per legal provisions.

On Thursday, the police challaned the businessman under the Motor Vehicles Act for handing over the vehicle to his minor son.

Senior officials also said the charge sheet will also include the name of the businessman’s driver for allegedly trying to mislead investigators.