Wrecked remains of the BMW, after it crashed on the Coastal Road, killing three people and injuring one, in Mumbai on Sunday (September 20). Photo: PTI
BMW crash: Driver had history of reckless driving, disorderly conduct, say cops
The 21-year-old driver had been booked in two earlier cases, including one involving speeding and another involving alleged disorderly behaviour while drunk
Mumbai, Sep 21 (PTI) The 21-year-old driver of a speeding BMW that crashed off Mumbai's Coastal Road, killing three students, had a history of reckless driving and drunk and disorderly behaviour, police said on Monday.
The police have registered a first information report (FIR) against Shanay Gajar, who was also killed in Sunday's fatal crash, under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Motor Vehicles Act, an official said.
An investigation into the accident has found that Gajar, a resident of Napean Sea Road in south Mumbai, was already facing cases at Gamdevi police station for overspeeding in March and at Bandra police station for obstructing officers in an inebriated state just last month.
A video of the incident that occurred in March is doing rounds on social media.
According to officials, the complainant in the case, Omkar Shirke, who was travelling with his wife on March 29, reported that Gajar's BMW had hit their vehicle. Shirke had recorded a video of his confrontation, which allegedly shows Gajar behind the wheel.
In the August incident that took place in Bandra, Gajar and three others allegedly created a disturbance on a public road in an inebriated state and misbehaved with on-duty personnel inside the police station, they said.
They were booked for obstructing a public servant in the discharge of public functions under the BNS, as well as under Sections 85(1) (disorderly behaviour under the influence of liquor) and 85(2) (consuming liquor for intoxication) of the Maharashtra Prohibition Act, the official said.
On Sunday, Gajar was speeding towards Haji Ali in the luxury car when he lost control near Lotus Jetty and plunged several feet into the ongoing work area of an L&T parking spot, according to the Coastal Road Control Room.
Gajar, Dhairya Darshan Seth (17), and Aditya Jakasniya (19) were rushed to the civic-run Nair Hospital, where all three were declared dead, and the fourth occupant, Aditya Oswal (23), sustained severe injuries and remains in critical condition.
The Tardeo police have initiated an inquiry to ascertain the exact circumstances leading to the crash.
The Mumbai Coastal Road is a 10.58-km high-speed freeway connecting Marine Drive to the Worli end of the Bandra-Worli Sea Link. PTI