The accused, Sachin Kharatmal, 45, a resident of Malad west, was said to be in an inebriated condition at the time of the accident. He was arrested after the incident but granted bail later in the day. A 30-year-old advocate is battling for her life in the ICU of a hospital with grievous head injuries after her car was rammed by a speeding BMW on the Bandra-Worli sea link in the early hours of Sunday.
The incident took place around 1.30 am on the north-bound stretch of the sea link when Saloni Samir Lakhiya, a resident of Khar (west), was driving back home in her Celerio car.
The accused, Sachin Kharatmal, 45, a resident of Malad west, was said to be in an inebriated condition at the time of the accident. He was arrested after the incident but granted bail later in the day.
Kharatmal was returning home with his sister and brother-in-law when he rammed his car into Lakhiya’s vehicle, which got mangled from the rear due to the impact, police said, adding Lakhiya suffered grievous internal injury on her head.
Police rushed her to Bhabha Hospital and later, her relatives admitted her to a private hospital where her condition is said to be serious. Kharatmal’s sister, too, suffered a fracture in her hand.
In absence of a complainant, on-duty assistant sub inspector Dilip Sawant registered a suo motu FIR against Kharatmal for rash driving, causing grievous injury, dangerous driving and drink driving under sections 279 and 338 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), and 184 and 185 of the Motor Vehicle (MV) Act.
Kharatmal was granted bail on Sunday. The police said the accident was not a case of hit-and-run, adding the accused was arrested from the spot and his car seized.
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