Hyderabad: Drivers without driving licence being jailed

Hyderabad: Motorists found on the road without driving licence are being sent to jail. Five motorists have been imprisoned for two days each after they were booked by the Falaknuma traffic police. All the five were bikers and were booked on the Santoshnagar-Chandrayangutta road on Wednesday night, inspector V. Chandra Kumar told DC.

So far only those who were booked for drunken driving were being sentenced to jail. This year itself, over 60,000 cases were booked against bikers from January to July for driving without a licence, but none were given imprisonment.

In the case of minors, they and their parents were let off after payment of fine and counselling. Now, magistrates have started jailing motorists booked without DLs. Recently, the police requested the judges to jail those driving “without licence” as per Sections 180 and 181 of the MV Act.

“A person driving without a DL is like a suicide bomber,” said a traffic cop.  Police said as per Section 180 and Section 181 of the MV Act, individuals driving without DLs and those who give their vehicles to minors or majors who do not have DLs can be jailed for for up to 3 months and also fined.

DCP (Traffic) A.V. Ranganath said minors will be counselled and fined Rs 1,000 if booked for the first time for driving without a licence, but would be produced before the magistrate if caught a second time. Those above 18 will not get a second opportunity and would be imprisoned.

The car driven by Shravil was registered in the name of one Udaya Sri, who is the mother of Shravil’s friend Vishnu, who was also in the car at the time of the accident. A case has been filed against Vishnu under Sections 180 and 181 of MV Act.

“While filing the charge sheet, a decision will be taken on whom to be held responsible for giving the car to Shravil who did not have a DL and was drunk,” Banjara Hills Inspector K Srinivas said.

Police said that while coming,, Vishnu drove the car and while return Shravil drove the car. A case of culpable homicide has been booked against Shravil.