Nagpur: Tehsil Police in Nagpur have initiated legal proceedings to obtain custody of Ritika Maloo, the accused in the ghastly Ram Jhula accident, through a court order. By invoking non-bailable charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder, the police are now seeking court permission to revoke her previous bail, granted under bailable provisions, and to re-arrest Ritika.
In the early hours of February 25, Ritika and her co-passenger, Madhuri Sarda, were travelling in a Mercedes car that collided with the scooter of Mohd Hussain Mustafa and his friend Mohd Ateef on the Ram Jhula, resulting in their deaths.
Allegedly driven by Ritika, the car first struck the side railing before hitting the victims’ scooter. The accident sparked widespread outrage and protests across Nagpur against drunk driving.
Tehsil police have filed a petition before the magistrate court seeking authorization to take Maloo into custody. It is learnt the defence counsel has submitted a response on Wednesday, along with a petition to dismiss the police’s re-arrest request. On Thursday, the magistrate court is scheduled to hear arguments from both sides after the police file their statement in the matter.
Additionally, on Thursday, the police will contest Ritika’s anticipatory bail plea before the Sessions Court. In their affidavit seeking the rejection of Ritika’s anticipatory bail, the police will argue for the necessity of her custodial interrogation.
According to police sources, the sample report from the Regional Forensic Science Laboratory (RFSL) revealed the presence of alcohol in Ritika’s blood.
Initially, the Tehsil police had charged Ritika under bailable provisions of Section 304A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), but later changed it to the non-bailable Section 304 IPC for culpable homicide not amounting to murder.
Controversy had arisen over the application of Section 304(A) of the IPC against Ritika Critics had argued that the non-bailable Section 304 IPC should have been applied, preventing Ritika from being granted bail within 24 hours. Experts argue that if Section 304 IPC had been invoked, the court would not have granted bail to Ritika. The circumstances surrounding the co-passenger’s involvement raise questions about the overall handling of the case.
The role of Nagpur Police in the Ram Jhula Bridge mishap was under scrutiny, with concerns raised over the choice of legal sections applied in the case. The controversy surrounding the granting of bail, conflicting statements of police officers, and the handling of the co-passenger’s involvement highlight the need for a thorough investigation to ensure justice for the victims and maintain public trust in law enforcement.
