A luxury car owned by Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule's son Sanket allegedly hit several vehicles in the Ramdaspeth area of Nagpur in the early hours of Monday. Two people sustained injuries in the accident, with a police investigation underway. According to an ANI report, Nagpur Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Zone 2 Rahul Madane said Sanket was called for an inquiry into the accident on Tuesday and confessed that he was in the car when it occurred.
The occupants of the Audi car, police said, were on their way back from a bar when the accident occurred around 1 am. The car is believed to have first collided with complainant Jitendra Sonkamble’s car, before hitting a two-wheeler. The riders of the latter vehicle suffered minor injuries in the crash.
The car also reportedly collided with several other vehicles on its way towards Mankapur area. At a T-point, it struck a Polo car, whose occupants then chased the Audi and managed to stop it near Mankapur bridge. The Audi was found to have two occupants at the time, identified as Arjun Hawre and Ronit Chittamwar. An Indian Express quoted police as saying that three occupants of the luxury car had fled.
The driver and the occupant were detained and their blood samples were taken to determine if they had consumed alcohol.
"The duo was taken to Tehsil police station, from where they were handed over for further probe to Sitabuldi police. The medical examination of driver Arjun Hawre and occupant Chittamwar is in progress. Driver Hawre could be placed under arrest at any time," a Sitabuldi police official told PTI.
“We arrested the driver, Arjun, but he was later granted bail as it was a bailable offence... Their medical samples have been sent to the FSL (Forensic Science Laboratory), [and the] report is awaited," DCP Rahul Madane said, addressing a press conference.
Madane said the occupants of the Audi car were returning from a bar in Dharampeth when the incident took place, adding that the medical examination will include blood tests for alcohol detection.
Speaking to reporters about the incident, Maharashtra BJP chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule stated the Audi car was registered in the name of his son Sanket. He said the police should conduct an “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," the senior BJP leader said.
On Monday night, in a post on X, the Maharashtra Congress posted a purported video of the incident and alleged that, after the accident, the entire home department went to work to "save and hide the boy".
"In Nagpur, the son of a senior BJP leader hit four to five cars in the middle of the night in a drunken state, after which the entire home department went to work to save and hide the boy. So is law and order only to torture the common people?" the Maharashtra Congress posted on X with a purported video.