Mercedes hit-and-run case: Friends begged juvenile driver to go slow

A juvenile accused of knocking down a young executive in the highly-publicised Mercedes hit-and-run case in Delhi had near misses with two bikers just before the fatal accident, multiple sources told HT.

The revelation by two youngsters, among six others travelling in the Mercedes on April 4, is now part of the charge sheet filed by police before the Juvenile Justice Board (JJB), sources said.

The two have been made police witnesses in the case that put the spotlight back on the menace of rash driving in the national capital.

Siddharth Sharma, 32, was killed on the spot when the speeding car allegedly driven by the son of a businessman knocked him down in the Civil Lines area.

The accused, who cannot be named for legal reasons, turned 18 four days after the incident. He was arrested but granted bail by the JJB. A repeat traffic offender, he has been booked for culpable homicide not amounting to murder.

The two witnesses said in their statement recorded before a magistrate — required by law to be considered admissible evidence in court — that they warned the accused twice, asking him to slow down after he nearly hit the two bikers before knocking down Sharma.

The youngsters said they had pleaded with the accused to let them disembark as they were scared by his speeding. The luxury vehicle’s speed could have been over 100km per hour when it hit Sharma, a source quoting their statement said.

Police sources said the two bikers have also agreed to be witnesses in the case.

“One biker, who fortunately escaped being run over, chased the Mercedes and scolded the accused on seeing that Sharma had been hit. He is also a witness in the case,” a source said.

The incident sparked public anger over alleged police inaction because of the juvenile offender’s affluent background. Family members of the victim accused the police of going slow in the case.

On April 8, police arrested the minor’s father on charges of abetting the crime. He was granted bail later.