Delhi BMW Crash: Woman Driver Sent To 2-Day Judicial Custody As Suspicious Chain of Events Raise Questions

A Delhi court has placed Gaganpreet Kaur, the woman allegedly driving the BMW that fatally struck Finance Ministry official Navjot Singh, in judicial custody for two days. The incident occurred in Dhaula Kuan, resulting in Singh's death and severe injuries to his wife. Duty Magistrate Akanksha Singh sent 38-year-old Gaganpreet Kaur to judicial custody after she was produced before the judge at her residence, citing that her custodial interrogation was not required, said senior advocate Vikas Pahwa, Gaganpreet's counsel. The judge also issued notices to Delhi Police and the victim's kin on the bail application moved by Kaur and directed them to file their replies by September 17, when the court concerned will hear the matter.Deputy Secretary

in the Department of Economic Affairs, Navjot Singh (52), died when his motorcycle was hit by a BMW while returning home from Bangla Sahib Gurdwara with his wife, who suffered serious injuries. Gaganpreet was arrested on culpable homicide not amounting to murder and other charges on Monday after being discharged from a hospital, police said.

Delhi BMW Crash: Why were injured taken to hospital 19 kms away?

Several questions have been raised on the handling of the aftermath of the crash as the FIR alleged that Gaganpreet, took the victims -- Navjot Singh and his wife Sandeep Kaur -- to a healthcare facility more than 19 kilometres away from the accident site instead of any nearby hospital. The victims' family has alleged that Gaganpreet and her husband were treated before Navjot and his wife despite their serious injuries. There was no knowledge that the act of the perpetrator will result into death of the deceased, Gaganpreet Kaur's counsel said, adding that the accused "tried her best to give them the medical treatment"."The reason for her to take to the hospital was because of what she remembered as she herself was traumatised and thought that she would be able to get better treatment for the injured and the deceased in that hospital. There is no other reason which can be attributed to the lady in this regard. Since she herself was injured, the argument of the prosecution that she did this, for an oblique purpose is completely absurd and preposterous," Pahwa added.Also Read: First Statement from Delhi BMW Crash Victim: ‘Requested Her to Take Us to Nearby Hospital But...’

Hospital belonged to relative of accused

Allegations have surfaced that the accused woman brought the injured to Nulife Hospital, since it was owned by one of her relatives. Navjot's family alleged that the small hospital, where Singh was declared "brought dead", was linked to the accused.When questioned, accused Gaganpreet claimed that she panicked and only knew about that hospital because her children had been treated there during the COVID-19 pandemic, a senior police official said. Police sources said that there is a possibility of tampering with the medical reports of the accused woman who underwent treatment at the hospital and the matter is under investigation.In her statement to police, Sandeep Kaur said she had repeatedly pleaded with Kaur and her spouse to take them to the nearest hospital as her husband was unconscious and needed immediate treatment.A case of culpable homicide not amounting to murder has been registered against Gaganpreet under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The sections invoked include 281 (rash driving or riding on a public way), 125B (acts endangering life or personal safety of others), 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), and 238 (causing disappearance of evidence of offence, or giving false information to screen offender).(With PTI inputs)