Worli jogger accident: Accused was speeding despite knowing the spot was accident-prone
Sumer Merchant, who was arrested for running over a jogger at Worli sea face, has had his bail plea opposed by the police. The prosecution claims that he was speeding between 95 to 100 km per hour, even when he knew that the turn is an accident-prone spot. The jogger, Rajalakshmi Ramakrishnan, a tech firm CEO, was hit by a speeding car during her morning walk on the Worli sea-face promenade last week. The police have claimed that according to the blood sample report, the alcohol level in his blood was 137 mg per 100 ml against the permissible limit of 30 mg.
MUMBAI: The Worli police on Friday objected to the bail plea of Sumer Merchant arrested for running over a jogger at Worli sea face on March 19, claiming that he was speeding between 95 to 100 per hour, even when he knew that the turn is an accident-prone spot.
The jogger, Rajalakshmi Ramakrishnan, a tech firm CEO, was hit by a speeding car during her morning walk on the Worli sea-face promenade last week. The car was driven by Merchant who was arrested in the case.
The police on Friday filed its reply on the bail plea moved by Merchant claiming that he did not see the woman as it was a blind spot, and she was running in the opposite direction – against the flow of traffic on the stretch.
Opposing the bail plea, the prosecution claimed that he knew that while driving in front of Bhagwan apartment towards the sea link, the spot is accident-prone, even though he drove his car at high speed. The probe revealed that the speed of the car was 95 to 100 km per hour. The police claimed that according to the blood sample report, the alcohol level in his blood was 137 mg per 100 ml against the permissible limit of 30 mg.
The prosecution also claimed that they have recorded statements of eyewitnesses namely Simran Lalwani, Ayesha Broacha, Avni Mashruwala and further probe is still on.
Meanwhile, the court allowed the husband of the jogger to intervene in the bail plea filed by Merchant.
Ramakrishnan, in his plea, said that the investigation in the case is in progress and the charges levelled against the accused are serious.
“The accused has behaved and acted in the most reckless, negligent, socially and morally irresponsible manner causing grave irreparable loss and trauma not only to the intervenor but also to all the pedestrians, runners and fitness enthusiasts in the city,” the plea, filed through advocate Hemant Ingle, said.
The husband of the victim further claimed that the two crucial witnesses are friends of the accused who have testified before the police that “the accused was driving the car in a drunken state in a rash and negligent manner”. The two have said that they tried to stop him, but the accused continued to drive recklessly and killed the deceased on the spot, the husband has claimed.