Jogger's death in Mumbai: Accused was driving drunk, states report

MUMBAI: The blood test report of Tardeo resident Sumer Merchant has found that he was under the influence of alcohol when his alleged speeding car mowed down jogger Rajalakshmi Vijay (57), CEO of a tech firm, at Worli Sea face in the wee hours of March 19.
Police have informed the local court about the Kalina Forensic Science Laboratory's report and have added Section 185 of the Motor Vehicles Act (driving by a drunken person or by a person under the influence of drugs) against Merchant. Earlier, Worli police had booked him under IPC Section 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) and Section 184 (driving dangerously) of the Motor Vehicles Act.
Merchant, who works in an event management company, is currently in judicial custody. His bail plea hearing is scheduled for Monday.
On March 19, around 6.30am, Rajalakshmi, the CEO of Altruist Technologies, was jogging along Worli sea face when Merchant's car allegedly hit her, killing her on the spot. Eyewitnesses told police that the impact was so severe that Rajlakshmi was flung on the bonnet as the car sped on further 10-15ft and crashed into a road divider. She was flung several feet into the air in the crash and landed on the road, causing her death due to serious head injuries.
Soon after the accident, police had arrested Merchant, had taken him for medical examination and collected his blood sample, which was then to the lab for chemical analysis. "The report shows that Merchant's blood contained alcohol when he was driving the car," said a police officer.
Police said Merchant had admitted to drinking alcohol the previous night, along with his friends who were in the car with him. Merchant was dropping a male friend at Shivaji Park and a female friend at Bandra when the accident took place. During the probe, police found that Merchant, who had gone to the US for office work, had returned to Mumbai on March 15. On the day of the accident, his parents had gone to Himachal Pradesh and returned the same day after hearing about the accident, added police.