Ansh Gupta was run over by an SUV on Aug 30
Mumbai: A gym instructor and entrepreneur arrested for the death of an eight-year-old boy after running him over in Bandra last Sunday has claimed that he “unexpectedly” came in front of her SUV and denied being on her phone at the time. The reply said the road was wide enough for two vehicles to pass and noted that since the garden is located alongside the road, children frequently visit it to play and cross the road. Police cited the gravity of the offence and said crucial aspects of the investigation are pending, including CCTV verification, RTO vehicle inspection, document authentication and recording of additional witness statements. They said they had recorded the statement of an eyewitness and a sub-inspector had conducted a panchanama of the spot.
Public prosecutor Pankaj Chavan submitted police’s reply opposing bail. The boy’s father, Ravindra Gupta, sought to file an intervention plea through advocate Akash Vikram Singh opposing bail. Ravindra alleged in his police statement that Rawal drove at high speed while talking on a phone, aware that such a conduct could cause someone’s death.
The matter is scheduled for hearing on Thursday.
The plea said the “unfortunate and unintended road accident” unfolded within moments, leaving her with no reasonable opportunity to anticipate the child’s movement or avoid the collision. “[Rawal] did not deliberately drive towards the victim, nor did she have any intention whatsoever of causing any injury to the victim,” it said, adding that it wasn’t due to “rash, reckless or deliberate conduct on her part”. Acknowledging that Rawal was conscious of the seriousness of the situation and the loss suffered by the child’s family, it said “the emotional gravity of the consequence must not be conflated with the legal requirements of the offence alleged”. “This is not being stated as a defence to the accident, but as a circumstance relevant to understanding the applicant’s conduct and character,” it said.
The plea also cited Rawal’s personal and professional background, saying she was the founder of a startup focused on children’s health and well-being.
Accused Provides Account of Incident Involving Child
Megha Rawal, the accused in a recent case, submitted a bail plea to a sessions court on Wednesday. In her statement, she described an incident involving a young boy, Ansh Gupta, whom she claims to have seen crossing the road near a garden. Rawal stated that she halted her vehicle, waited for the boy to completely cross, and then proceeded slowly. She became concerned when she noticed bystanders looking towards her vehicle shortly after she moved. Following this, Rawal reported that she took the child to a hospital for assistance.