MLA’s son mows down three in Jaipur, injures cop

JAIPUR: Three people were killed and one police officer was injured when a speeding BMW car, allegedly driven by an MLA's son, rammed into an auto-rickshaw and a police van near St Xavier’s School in Jaipur during early hours on Saturday.

Police said that the vehicle was driven by 24-year-old Siddharth Maharia, son of independent MLA from Fatehpur in Sikar district Nandkishore Maharia.

The incident took place at 1.30 am on when the BMW, allegedly driven by Siddharth, hit the autorickshaw carrying two passengers. Both of them fell down and were crushed to death along with the driver. Then, the BMW hit a PCR van, which was coming to stop the rashly-driven 'Killer' car. One sub-inspector got injured.

However, speaking to mediapersons Siddharth claimed that he was not driving the vehicle and was sitting with his cousin on the backseat of SUV. “I was not driving the car. The reports are false that the steering was in my hand,” he claimed.

When contacted, Sanjay Agarwal, Commissioner of police, said, “He is being arrested. We have registered a case under section 304(Culpalable homicide not amounting to murder) of Indian penal code(IPC).”

Reacting to reports that police are trying to save him, Agarwal said, “Law will take its own course.”

The injured ASI too has given statements that he had seen accused Siddharth driving the SUV.

Usually, in accident cases, accused are charged with Section 304-A (Causing death due to negligence) of the IPC. However, in this case a stringent section has been invoked.

“Since the accused has claimed he was not driving the car, we are collecting necessary evidences. He was also under inebriated condition according to his on-the-spot breathalyzer test report. However, we will also consider the medical reports,” Agarwal said.

Two deceased were identified as Jehta Lal (35) and Kailash (30) while the third one was yet to be identified.