A 17-year-old driving an SUV was killed in an accident in Ghatkopar, which has shocked Mumbai. A 35-year-old businessman named Dhrumil Patel died in the accident, and his family is now very worried about efforts to settle the matter financially. In a message to the deputy commissioner of police, Dhrumil’s uncle Mahesh Patel, said that the family was offered 40 lakh rupees as “blood money” to settle the case secretly. The letter also mentioned possible attempts to obstruct the probe.
Reports of pressure and influence on social media
The family said that after the accident, people were told to take down social media posts that talked about it. The letter gave information about the accused family’s money and social life. The child’s father is an entrepreneur, and some of his cousins work in construction. Mahesh Patel said he was afraid that this impact could get in the way of justice if the case is not closely watched by the officials.
The court case and the bail controversy
In the Vikhroli district court, the case came up during the bail hearing of the child’s father, who is currently in judicial custody for reportedly letting his younger son drive the SUV. The lawyer for the victim said that the bail plea could not be upheld because the charges were for negligent killing, not amounting to murder, which is the authority of a sessions court. Before making a decision on the bail plea, the judge will likely hear more from the victim’s family.
Concerns about the investigation and evidence
The family has also said they don’t trust parts of the probe. It’s still not clear how many people were in the SUV at the time of the accident and if the CCTV video has been fully reviewed. They said the child might have wiped videos and photos of dangerous driving stunts that could have been very important proof. The letter made it clear that no amount of money, not even the 40 lakh rupees that was given, could make up for the death. The family was also worried that settling the case with money would make the person less responsible and set a bad example.
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A Hurtful Experience for the Family
These claims were also recently brought up in front of the Vikhroli magistrate court while the father of the child was pleading guilty to bail. On Friday, lawyer Ruben Mascarenhas, who was representing the victim’s family, said that the bail application could not be made to the magistrate because the crime could only be tried by a sessions court after the charge of culpable homicide not amounting to murder was added.
The police are still looking into both the accident and the claims of an attempted settlement. This case raises broader concerns about who is responsible and who has power in sensitive legal matters.
