Evidence leads to bail for Gaganpreet Kaur in case involving finance ministry official’s death.
A Delhi court has granted bail to Gaganpreet Kaur, the woman accused of driving the BMW involved in a fatal accident that resulted in the death of Navjot Singh, a deputy secretary in the finance ministry’s economic affairs department. The incident occurred on September 14, when Singh was riding his motorbike near the Delhi Cantonment metro station and was struck by Kaur’s vehicle. Singh’s wife sustained injuries in the collision.
The police apprehended Kaur the following day, claiming that she was driving the car that collided with Singh’s motorbike. Alongside her were her husband, Parikshit Makkar, and their two children, who were also in the vehicle during the crash. After the accident, Kaur and her husband transported Singh and his wife to a private hospital located 17 kilometers away in GTB Nagar, rather than the nearer Base Hospital. The police stated that Kaur had ties to the hospital owner, as her parental home is in the same locality.
Both Kaur and her husband were treated for injuries at the hospital before she was taken into custody upon her discharge. The police filed a case against her at the Delhi Cantonment police station, invoking sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita that pertain to culpable homicide not amounting to murder, among other charges.
In a detailed 19-page order, the court noted that surveillance camera footage contradicted the police’s narrative regarding the accident. Judicial Magistrate First Class Ankit Garg, in granting bail to Kaur, highlighted the inconsistencies in the prosecution’s argument, which was founded on the notion of delayed medical assistance. The judge remarked that continued detention would be disproportionate at this stage of the proceedings.
The prosecution alleged that Kaur’s vehicle struck Singh’s motorbike from behind. However, Kaur contended that she lost control of her car, which flipped and subsequently collided with the motorcycle before hitting a Delhi Transport Corporation bus. The court observed that the footage supported Kaur’s account, indicating a loss of control rather than an intentional high-speed collision.
The judge expressed that this clarification undermined the basis for asserting Kaur’s ‘knowledge’ of the likelihood of causing death at the initial point of impact. The court also criticized the response of the ambulance driver and paramedic present at the scene, who reportedly left without assisting the injured. According to the court’s findings, Singh was taken to the hospital after a delay of nearly seven minutes due to the alleged negligence of the medical personnel.
While acknowledging the gravity of the situation and the public concern surrounding fatal motor accidents, the court emphasized that the severity of the incident is not the sole criterion for determining bail. It reiterated that the purpose of bail is not punitive but rather aims to ensure the accused’s presence for a fair investigation and trial.
