Principal District and Sessions Judge B. Muralidhara Pai on Tuesday sentenced Aneesh John (37) of Bikarnakatta to three years simple imprisonment and imposed a fine of ₹ 1,000 on finding him guilty of causing the death of an autorickshaw driver and injuring two other autorickshaw drivers after ramming his car against a row of autorickshaws at Ambedkar Circle here in 2017.
According to a charge-sheet, John, who was then running a spa in a luxury hotel in the city, consumed alcohol on the night of August 6, 2017, and was driving a hatchback car with his friend T.A. Mathew. After approaching the Ambedkar Circle from Bunts Hostel Circle at 10.45 p.m., John drove straight instead of taking a left turn towards Balmatta Circle.
The car rammed against the autorickshaws parked outside KMC Hospital. Autorickshaw driver Praveen M.A. (21), a native of Madikeri, died on the spot. Two other drivers Ashok Pascal D’Souza and Jagadish were injured. Fearing assault by the on-lookers, Mathew, who was also injured, ran away from the spot and got himself admitted at a private hospital in Falnir.
