BENGALURU: In Namma City, money and influence can certainly right the wrong. On April 19, an underage driver crashed into a housemaid, cyclist, garbage autorickshaw and a two-wheeler before coming to a halt on 5th cross, 5th Main of Koramangala.
Passersby caught hold of the driver, who is 16 years old, and his friend, who too is a minor, and alerted the police about the accident. But what followed next was a clear travesty of justice. Traffic policemen from Koramangala rushed to the spot, and were about to book cases of underage driving and driving without a licence against the offender, but stopped in their tracks when the teenager’s father arrived at the spot and pulled out wads of currency notes, eyewitnesses recounted.
Deccan Chronicle is in possession of photographs to prove that the accident took place on 5th Cross, 5th Main, Koramangala on April 19 and how the jeep caused a serial accident, putting the life of the woman in danger.
An eyewitness said, “The jeep first hit the BBMP garbage auto, crashed into a woman and a cyclist, dragged a parked scooter under its wheels and then crashed into an electric pole.”
A crowd gathered immediately and caught hold of the two teenagers, who were trying to escape. They were then locked up inside a shop and the shop owner alerted the police, who rushed to the spot. “Initially, the cops seemed to be doing their job and booking the cases. But they suddenly flipped when the boy’s father arrived and pulled out Rs 500 notes. He told the police not to register the case and they seemed to agree quite readily. The teenager’s father offered to pay for the medical expenses of the domestic help and wrote a cheque of Rs 62,000 to the scooter owner, asking him to buy a new two-wheeler,” the eyewitness said.
“The teenage driver is a resident of Adugodi and is from a rich family. His father, who is an influential man, has his office in front of the Koramangala police station,” another witness said.
When Deccan Chronicle brought this to the notice of DCP (Traffic- East) C.K. Baba, he said that disciplinary action will be taken against the policemen if found guilty. He also took note of the complaint.
