New Delhi: A Delhi court has convicted a man for causing death of a person by rash and negligent driving, saying it showed his utter disregard for traffic rules as well as safety of other travellers.
Metropolitan Magistrate Manisha Khurana Kakkar held Rajesh Singh, an Uttar Pradesh resident, guilty of rashly and negligently driving his truck in an inebriated state and causing death of the person who was coming from the opposite side in a car.
"The accused was driving the truck with utter disregard towards the traffic rules and regulations as well as safety of other travellers. The facts, therefore, constitute 'rash' and 'negligent' act of the accused which is culpable in nature.
"... Rash and negligent act of Rajesh was the proximate cause of the death of the victim. The prosecution has proved its case against the accused beyond reasonable doubt and he is convicted for offences under sections 279 (rash driving) and 304A (death by negligence) of IPC and under section 185 (drunken driving) of Motor Vehicles Act," the court said.
It is yet to pronounce the quantum of sentence for the convicted driver.
The court, while convicting the truck driver, relied on the testimony of eyewitness Rajiv Singh, who was working as a security guard at a residence near the accident site.
"The very fact that Rajesh jumped the red light and hit against the car which had crossed its green signal shows the 'rashness' and 'negligence' on his part. The eyewitness has withstood the test of cross-examination and has reiterated and reaffirmed that the driver took a right turn in an an abrupt manner even though the traffic signal for his lane was red.
According to prosecution, on the night of May 9, 2011, the truck driver, who was coming from Ansal Plaza side, jumped the red light and while taking a turn, hit a WagonR coming from Lodhi Colony in south Delhi.
It dragged the car to a distance of 10-12 feet, causing serious injuries to Gaurav Gujral, who was driving the car, police said. He was taken to AIIMS Trauma Centre by the eyewitness and police and was declared brought dead by doctors.
The truck driver had pleaded not guilty and denied the allegations.
