The prosecution plans to charge Janhavi Gadkar, a corporate lawyer, with murder under the former Indian Penal Code for a 2015 drunk driving incident in Mumbai, where she allegedly crashed her Audi into a taxi, resulting in 2 deaths.
The case is currently at the stage of framing charges in the session’s court.
Initially, Gadkar was charged under several sections of the old IPC, including culpable homicide, voluntarily causing hurt with dangerous weapons or means, grievous hurt, and rash driving, in addition to violations under the Motor Vehicles Act.
On Monday, Special Public Prosecutor Iqbal Solkar requested the court for additional time to argue for invoking section 302 (Punishment for murder) of the IPC. He argued that as a lawyer, Gadkar was fully aware that drunk driving was illegal.
Despite this, she consumed alcohol at three different places and drove at high speed on the wrong side of the Eastern Freeway. The prosecution emphasized that she had the intention, knowledge, and attempt.
In the early hours of June 10, Gadkar’s Audi collided with a taxi, killing 2 people, including the taxi driver. After nearly two months in jail, Gadkar was granted bail by a sessions court in August 2015.
The court is set to hear the matter on August 1.
