Mercedes hit-and-run minor sent to juvenile home

The minor boy, who had allegedly run over a 33-year-old man while driving a Mercedes in north Delhi’s Civil Lines area, was on Sunday held under charge of culpable homicide not amounting to murder and sent to a juvenile justice home, the police said.

He will be produced before the Juvenile Justice Board on Monday.

The police on Sunday 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 the victim, Siddharth Sharma, had died.

The driver and the boy’s father, who was arrested on Friday, were on Sunday 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 had turned 18 on Friday, along with his lawyers came to the court to surrender and his advocates also moved a bail plea.

The police said that the court refused to grant him bail on the ground that it was a matter for the Juvenile Justice Board.

Later, a juvenile welfare officer of the Delhi police apprehended the boy and he was sent to the juvenile justice home for a day. He will be produced before the Juvenile Justice Board on Monday.

The incident took place on April 4 when the 33-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 under IPC Section 304, which is cognisable and non bailable in nature, was slapped and the boy was apprehended under this charge,” DCP (North) Madhur Verma said.

However, former Delhi police commissioner B.S. Bassi on Saturday tweeted about need of special law and safeguards to deal with cases of road accidents. “It is a tough call to put Sec 304 in stead of 304A IPC in road crashes. A special law visualising possible scenarios & safeguards is needed,” he tweeted.