Cops add attempt to murder charge against Audi owner who slammed Ola driver

Mumbai journalist Rishabh Chakravorthy faces an attempted murder charge after assaulting an Ola driver, leading to serious injuries. His wife is also under scrutiny.

Mumbai: The journalist who slammed an Ola driver after his cab brushed the latter’s Audi on LBS Road in Ghatkopar on August 18 is now going to face an attempt to murder charge as the Parksite police officials said the medical reports of the driver show that he suffered fracture to his head and injuries to his back and other body parts.

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On Sunday, the accused Rishabh Chakravorthy was produced in the court which remanded him in police custody till September 7. The officials said they have also sent a notice to Chakravorthy’s wife Antara Ghosh and her role in the crime is being examined.

Chakravorthy was earlier booked in an assault case under sections 115 (causing hurt), 117 (causing grievous hurt), and 352 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace) on August 28, after the CCTV footage surfaced and went viral on social media.

A senior police officer from Parksite police said they added section 109 (attempt to murder) of the BNS to the FIR based on the driver’s medical reports.

The CCTV footage that went viral on social media showed Chakravorthy lifting the driver Qaymuddin Mainuddin Qureshi, 24 and throwing him to the ground. Qureshi suffered serious injuries to his head, and back and minor fractures to his hands and leg. After being admitted to the ICU of JJ Hospital for nearly seven days, Qureshi was discharged on Thursday morning.

The Ola driver approached the Parksite police soon after the incident on August 18, but police did not register a case saying Qureshi himself walked into the police station and they couldn’t spot any visible injuries. The Ola driver then went to JJ hospital where he was admitted for a few days. Meanwhile, police checked the CCTV footage and learnt what had unfolded during the night.

According to Qureshi, around 11.40 pm, the accused’s Audi car brushed against his cab near the Asalfa metro station on August 18. Both the drivers got out of their vehicles and had an argument, blaming each other for the accident. Qureshi alleged that a woman then got out of the Audi and took his Ola mobile device from his cab.

The Audi driver and the woman then left. Qureshi said he followed the Audi till they reached the Wadhwa building. When the Audi stopped at the main gate, Qureshi bumped into the luxury car from behind. Chakravorthy then got out of his car, slapped Qureshi twice, and, in a fit of rage, lifted him up and threw him to the ground, as seen in CCTV footage. Qureshi claimed he was following the Audi because he wanted to take his Ola device back.

After discharging from the JJ hospital, Qureshi approached the police on August 28 and, police recorded his statement. A case was registered against the Audi driver and a woman. Police then called Chakravorthy and his wife to the police station and recorded their statement and asked them to leave.