The Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (CMM) Court on Monday furnished copies of the charge-sheet to Shaji Purushothaman, scion of the Empee Group and his three accomplices — R.M. Kumar alias Kudrai Kumar, Syed Anwar and Anil Rao — in connection with the case of a Mercedes hit-and-run that killed one, in May in Egmore.
As per the summons of the court, Shaji and his accomplices appeared before the CMM, M. Gopalan. The court supplied the charge-sheet filed by the police, the first information report, statements and confessions of witnesses. After serving those papers, the court adjourned the matter to December 17 for the process of questioning.
According to the prosecution, after consuming alcohol on May 23, Shaji drove the Mercedez Benz in an inebriated condition along with three friends as co-passengers, and hit several people who were sleeping on a pavement near the Government Maternity Hospital in Egmore. A 13-year-old boy succumbed to his injuries while a few others were also were injured.
In the charge-sheet, Anna Square Traffic Investigation police said, “Shaji drove the vehicle with drunken state in a rash and negligent manner with the knowledge of that it would likely to cause death and injuries. He failed to give first aid treatment to the injured and to inform the law enforcing authority. Further, he had caused damages to the public properties.”
The police also alleged that the accident occurred due to the repeated abetment of the other passengers in the car. Kumar too, failed to give first-aid to the injured people and failed to inform the police. After the incident, Syed Anwar and Anil Rao fled from the scene. Shaji went abroad with the intention of avoiding legal action, and was arrested only on June 13, the police said.
