Supreme Court Upholds Bail Of Vadodara Student Who Crashed Car While High

The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to cancel the bail granted to a 23-year-old law student, who had crashed his car into a passerby in Vadodara and come out of vehicle and shouted, "another round, another round".

A Bench of Justices Vikram Nath and NV Anjaria was hearing a plea by the Gujarat government against the bailed granted by the Gujarat High Court to Rakshit Chaurasiya. The law student hailing from Uttar Pradesh had on March 13 last year crashed his Volkswagen Virtus car under the alleged influence of drugs, killing one woman and injuring seven others.

The state's counsel said Chaurasiya showed no remorse within seconds of the crash, adding that he does drugs and is a "threat to society". The court was told that an FIR against Chaurasiya has also been registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985 (NDPS Act).

The Bench asked, "That is not the charge. Bail has been granted in the rash driving case, isn't it?"

The state counsel replied, "He was granted bail only because he was 23 years old and under the influence of drugs. Consuming drugs cannot be in his favour."

The court observed that this was not a voluntary and deliberate act and dismissed the plea, stating that Chaurasiya has already served nine months in jail.

According to eyewitnesses and CCTV footage, a high-speed black car being driven by Chaurasiya lost control and rammed into a two-wheeler, hitting several bystanders in the process. The crash resulted in the immediate death of one woman, later identified as Hemaliben Patel. The impact of the crash left seven others seriously injured, including Jaini (12), Nishaben (35), Purav, Vikas, Komal, Jayesh and Rency.

He also first said he had not consumed any intoxicants, but later admitted to consuming bhaang (cannabis). He also urged to meet the family of the victims and said that the accident was his fault.

A month before the accident, Chaurasiya had a brush with law and was let off with an apology. A lawyer had dragged him and his friends to the city's Sayajiganj police station after they created a commotion at a residential apartment in Fatehganj.

Police booked all accused under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act, 1985, and invoked Section 185 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, against Chaurasia, which makes it a criminal offence to drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs.