BMW crash victim could have been saved with timely care: Chargesheet

Navjot Singh, a 52-year-old official with the Ministry of Finance, who was run over by a speeding BMW near Dhaula Kuan last September, remained alive for at least 15 minutes after the crash and could have survived with timely medical intervention, the Delhi Police have stated in their chargesheet.

The final report was submitted before a magisterial court last week.

According to the police, the fatal accident occurred on September 14 when Singh, a Deputy Secretary in the Department of Economic Affairs, was killed and three others, including his wife, were injured after a BMW car allegedly struck his motorcycle near the Delhi Cantonment Metro Station on Ring Road.

In its 400-page chargesheet filed before Judicial Magistrate Ankit Garg, the police alleged that the accused, Gaganpreet Makkad, deliberately delayed providing critical medical assistance to the victim.

The chargesheet stated that the crash took place around 1.30 pm when Makkad’s BMW X5, allegedly travelling at a speed of 100-110 kmph, first crashed into a Metro pillar near the Delhi Cantonment Metro Station, overturned, and then rammed into Singh’s motorcycle. The speed limit on the stretch is 50 kmph.

“The excessive speed made it impossible to control the vehicle. The severity of the impact despite the BMW being among the sturdiest vehicles demonstrates the immense force with which the victims were struck,” the chargesheet said, citing a speed analysis report obtained from the manufacturer.

Referring to the post-mortem findings, the final report noted that the “survival time of the deceased was at least 15 minutes,” adding that further details were being examined.

The police further alleged that instead of taking the injured to nearby facilities such as Delhi Cantonment Hospital or AIIMS Trauma Centre, both located 10 to 15 minutes from the crash site, the accused transported them to Nulife Hospital in GTB Nagar, approximately 20 km away. The journey reportedly took 23 minutes.

Describing Nulife Hospital as “a small, two-storey nursing home with limited facilities,” the chargesheet alleged that the decision resulted in the “wastage of the golden hour of trauma care.”

The police said an ambulance with a driver and paramedic reached the spot within minutes of the crash, but the accused refused their assistance. “No fault has been found on part of the ambulance staff, as the accused deliberately declined help and delayed medical care,” the chargesheet stated.

The final report also alleged that Makkad has “distant family links” with Nulife Hospital, a connection that came to light following notices issued to the facility. The police added that documentary evidence relating to the alleged manipulation of medical records was yet to be collected.

Additionally, the chargesheet claimed that the accused falsely admitted herself to the ICU despite having sustained only minor injuries, allegedly in an attempt to mislead investigators.

The report concluded by stating that investigations into certain aspects of the case, including the alleged manipulation of medical documents, are still ongoing.