Mercedes hit-and-run: Teenager apprehended again, sent to correction home

The minor boy, who had allegedly run over a 32-year-old man with his father’s Mercedes in north Delhi’s civil lines area, was today held under charge of culpable homicide not amounting to murder and sent to juvenile justice home, the police said. He will be produced before the Juvenile Justice Board tomorrow.

The police today also arrested the man who claimed to be the actual driver of the Mercedes at the time of incident but did a volte-face after he got to know that victim Siddharth Sharma was dead.

The driver and the boy’s father, who was arrested on Friday, were today produced before a city court and they were granted bail. The driver was arrested for the offence under section 203 (giving false information respecting an offence committed) of the IPC.

Meanwhile, the police said that the juvenile, who turned 18 years old day before yesterday, along with his lawyers came to the court to surrender and his advocates moved a bail plea.

The police said that the court refused to grant him bail on the ground that it was a matter of the juvenile justice board (JJB).

Later, a juvenile welfare officer of the Delhi Police apprehended the boy and he was sent to juvenile justice home for a day. He will be produced before the JJB tomorrow.

The incident took place on April 4 when 32-year-old marketing executive Siddharth Sharma was trying to cross a road near Ludlow Castle School and the speeding Mercedes hit him.

A case under IPC sections 304 A (causing death by rash or negligent act), 279 (driving on a public way so rashly or negligently as to endanger human life) and 337 (causing hurt by an act which endangers human life) was lodged.

The boy was apprehended the next day and was released on bail as per legal provisions.

“During the later stage of the investigation, the charge of culpable homicide not amounting to murder, which is cognizable and non-bailable in nature, was slapped and today the boy was apprehended under this charge,” DCP (North) Madhur Verma said.

“Further, during investigation it emerged that it was not the first offence of rash and negligent driving by this accused juvenile. In the past too he was found driving in a rash and negligent way, thereby causing a road accident with another vehicle,” it had said.

Last year, the minor was also challaned thrice—for over-speeding in April and June and wrong parking in February.

The boy’s father, an old-Delhi based businessman, was arrested under Sections 109/304 (abatement to culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of IPC.

“There has not been a single step taken by the father of the accused in prohibiting him from taking the vehicle. This is an act of criminal omission, thereby abetting the crime of the said juvenile,” a senior police official had said.

The car was being driven at a speed of at least 80 km per hour and Sharma was flung several feet into the air by the impact of the crash and landed around 15 metres away from where he stood.

After the incident, a group of youths stepped out of the vehicle and fled the spot, abandoning the car there.