Punjab and Haryana High Court rejects bail plea of motorist involved in mishap at protest site

Chandigarh, December 4

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has rejected the bail plea of a motorist allegedly involved in an accident during a peaceful demonstration by farmers. Two minors and another person had died in the accident. The accused had taken the plea that he had suffered a seizure due to epilepsy, resulting in the accident.

Pritpal Singh had moved the Punjab and Haryana High Court against the state of Punjab and another respondent seeking regular bail in a case registered at the Tripuri police station in Patiala district on March 30 for rash or negligent driving, culpable homicide not amounting to murder and other offences under Sections 279, 337, 338, 427, 308 and 304 of the IPC and provisions of the Motor Vehicles Act.

Opposing the plea, the State counsel argued that a peaceful demonstration by farmers was going on at a roundabout near Gurdwara Dukh Niwaran Sahib. Driving the vehicle in a negligent manner, the petitioner intentionally struck a car at the traffic lights before hitting the farmers sitting on the agitation. In that process, two minors and another person died, while another person sustained multiple injuries and had to undergo two brain surgeries before remaining on ventilator from March 29 to April 5. Apart from this, four other persons were also injured. The petitioner’s counsel argued that the motorist was a patient with history of epilepsy undergoing treatment since 2016. He was in custody since March 30, the investigation was complete and the trial would take some time to conclude. — TNS

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