Mumbai--It was a tragic end to two separate celebrations. Janhavi Gadkar, 35, a vice president with the legal team at Reliance Industries Limited, was returning from a party to celebrate a corporate deal. Salim Saboonwala, 50, and his family had gone out for dinner, to a dhaba in Bhiwandi, as his son had obtained over 90 per cent in his SSC exam.
Saboonwala and his family — wife Hafiza (40), daughters Salma (22) and Sadia (20), son Numan (16) — were on their way home when their taxi collided with Gadkar’s vehicle, an Audi Q3, on the Eastern Freeway early on Tuesday morning. Saboonwala, a resident of Nagpada, and the driver, Sayed Hussain (57), were killed in the crash. Gadkar survived, as the Audi’s airbags opened, leaving her with a few bruises.
According to the police, Gadkar, who was alone in her vehicle, was in an inebriated state and was driving on the wrong side. She has been charged with rash driving and culpable homicide not amounting to murder and sent to police custody. A company spokesperson confirmed that she has an advisory role with RIL.
“The only thing she claims she remembers is getting onto the freeway,” said Sangramsinh Nishandar, DCP, Zone VI. Police said they were alerted about the accident at 1:20 am on Tuesday.
Initial investigations have reportedly revealed that Gadkar was driving at over 120 kmph and had dodged two vehicles before crashing into the taxi. The persons in the two vehicles reportedly turned around to follow Gadkar’s speeding car, and are now witnesses in the case.
According to the police, Gadkar has admitted that she entered the wrong carriageway of the expressway and continued to drive for at least 10 kilometres till she hit the taxi. “We have got her custody for a day and are verifying all her claims. We will speak to everyone who she interacted with. It is a fact that she was drunk,” said Nishandar. Police said her medical test confirmed the presence of alcohol in her blood.
INDIAN EXPRESS
