Nagpur Car Accident: Maharashtra BJP Chief's Son Under Fire as Oppn Alleges 'Drunk Driving', Police Cover-Up

Nagpur accident involving a luxury car linked to Sanket, son of BJP's Chandrashekhar Bawankule, has sparked a political storm with the opposition alleging drunk driving and police cover-up.

Police have arrested the driver of a luxury car owned by Sanket Bawankule, son of Maharashtra BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule, after it collided with multiple vehicles in Nagpur, raising a political storm as the opposition demanded an impartial investigation. The incident occurred in the Ramdaspeth area during the early hours of Monday, leaving two people injured.

According to police, the high-end Audi car had five occupants, including Sanket Bawankule, though he was not driving at the time, news agency PTI reported. The driver, Arjun Hawre, was arrested on Monday night and subsequently released on bail. The crash led to a case of rash driving and other offences being registered, following a complaint by Jitendra Sonkamble, whose vehicle was hit by the Audi.

The occupants of the vehicle were reportedly returning from a beer bar in Dharampeth when the accident occurred. Authorities are currently examining CCTV footage to piece together the sequence of events. Medical examinations, including blood tests for alcohol detection, are also being conducted on the occupants. Hawre and another occupant, Ronit Chittamwar, were apprehended by the police following the crash.

Maharashtra BJP President Calls For 'Impartial' Probe, Sena UBT's Sanjay Raut Accuses His Son Of 'Drunk Driving'

Chandrashekhar Bawankule, a former state minister, confirmed that the Audi was registered under his son’s name. He emphasised that the police should carry out a thorough and unbiased investigation. "Police should conduct a thorough and impartial investigation into the accident without any bias. Those found guilty should be charged and appropriate action should be taken against them. I have not spoken to any police official. The law must be equal for all," Bawankule insisted, as quoted by PTI.

The incident has sparked a major controversy ahead of the upcoming assembly elections, with opposition parties accusing the ruling Mahayuti coalition, which includes the BJP, of attempting to shield the senior leader's son by placing blame solely on the driver.

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut criticised Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, claiming that Sanket Bawankule was actually driving the vehicle and questioning why his name was omitted from the FIR. Raut alleged, “According to our information, the son of Chandrashekhar Bawankule was allegedly drunk. His car crashed into six other cars, injuring four persons, two of whom are fighting for their lives in a hospital in Nagpur.”

Raut further accused the authorities of tampering with evidence. “Bawankule's son hit his car twice (into other vehicles), but the CCTV footage was removed as usual. If the car is registered in the name of either BJP state president Bawankule or his son, why was the number plate removed? The prince (Bawankule's son) was driving the car. But when the accident took place, it was shown that the driver (another person) was at the wheel. It is an attempt to whitewash the case," he claimed.

Congress MLA and Leader of Opposition Vijay Wadettiwar also called for an unbiased investigation. He alleged that BJP leaders were exploiting their power and wealth to cover up the incident. "A new precedent is being set in Maharashtra where the owner of the car will kill people and blame it on the driver and make him a scapegoat," Wadettiwar said, adding that the car was reportedly racing at 150 kmph.

Wadettiwar also criticised the police for allegedly destroying evidence to protect Bawankule’s son from accusations of drunk driving. He demanded a thorough investigation, including the scrutiny of CCTV footage from the restaurant the occupants visited before the crash.

In response, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis urged against politicising the incident, emphasising that the police had already registered an FIR and were investigating the case. "All the facts have been brought out by the police. It is not right to do politics just to target Bawankule," Fadnavis stated, as per PTI.

Meanwhile, BJP leader Raosaheb Danve assured that justice would be served. “Whoever is the culprit in this case, he will face action and punishment as per law. It is true that the car involved in the Nagpur accident is (registered) in the name of Sanket Bawankule and he was in that car. Let the law take its own course,” Danve said.