The probe into the high-profile Lamborghini crash in Kanpur took a controversial turn on Tuesday after the lawyer representing Shivam Mishra, son of a tobacco baron, claimed that his client was not driving the luxury car when it struck pedestrians on VIP Road.
Mishra’s counsel, Mrityunjay Kumar, told reporters that the Lamborghini was being driven by Mohan, a designated driver employed by the Mishra family, and not by Shivam Mishra.
“The car was being driven by the driver, not by Shivam Mishra. We will present the facts and evidence before the court,” Kumar said, urging authorities to treat the incident as an accident rather than a criminal case.
The claim comes amid assertions by Mishra’s family that he suffers from epilepsy.
Police Reject Defence Claim
Kanpur Police, however, rejected the lawyer’s assertion, saying that evidence gathered during the investigation clearly establishes Mishra as the person behind the wheel at the time of the crash.
Commissioner of Police Raghubir Lal told PTI that CCTV footage, eyewitness statements and other material corroborate Mishra’s involvement.
“An FIR may sometimes contain incorrect or incomplete details initially. During the investigation, Shivam Mishra’s involvement was confirmed through evidence, CCTV footage and eyewitness accounts,” Lal said.
Senior police officials also cited videos recorded at the scene that appear to show bystanders and rescuers pulling a man believed to be Mishra out of the driver’s seat immediately after the collision.
CCTV Footage, Videos Under Scrutiny
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central) Atul Kumar Srivastava said CCTV footage from the area identifies the individual removed from the vehicle as Mishra. He added that arguments made by the defence would not affect the ongoing probe.
“What an advocate argues in court does not affect our investigation. If the court seeks any clarification, all facts will be placed before it,” the DCP said.
Police teams also visited Mishra’s residence in Arya Nagar to serve a notice. However, they were unable to contact him.
FIR Updated, Car Seized
The FIR had initially mentioned an unidentified driver of the Lamborghini, but was later amended to name Mishra as the accused. The luxury vehicle has also been seized and sent for forensic examination.
The crash involving a Lamborghini Revuelto, an Italian luxury sports car priced at over Rs 10 crore, occurred around 3.15 pm on VIP Road in Kanpur’s upscale Gwaltoli area.
Following the incident, SHO Santosh Gaur was removed from his post and sent to police lines.
Shivam Mishra is the son of K K Mishra, owner of Banshidhar Exports Pvt Ltd, who has previously been under the scanner of the Income Tax department over tax-related issues.
(With inputs from PTI)