2013 drunken driving case: Madras HC seeks Police reply on Shaji Purushothaman’s appeal

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has directed the Assistant Commissioner of Police, Traffic Investigation, to file its response to the criminal appeal filed by EMPEE Group businessman Shaji Purushothaman challenging the five-year prison sentence imposed on him in the 2013 drunken driving case in which a 12-year-old boy was killed.

According to the prosecution, on May 22, 2013, Shaji Purushothaman, who was allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol and without a valid driving licence, rammed his car onto the pavement near Egmore Children's Hospital in the city, killing a 12-year-old boy and injuring four others. Based on the complaint, the Anna Square Traffic Investigation Police registered a case.

Shaji Purushothaman and his friends, Kumar, Syed Anwar, and Anil Rao, were arrested and later released on bail. During the trial, Syed Anwar was discharged, and the proceedings against Anil Rao were quashed. The case against Shaji Purushothaman and Kumar was tried by the VII Additional Sessions Court, Chennai, which, on June 29, after nearly 13 years of trial, convicted both.

As Shaji failed to appear before the trial court on the date of conviction, a non-bailable warrant was issued against him. He subsequently approached the Madras High Court and the Supreme Court, citing health reasons. Pursuant to the directions of the Supreme Court, he surrendered before Judge RKP Tamilarasi of the IV Additional City Civil and Sessions Court, Chennai.

On July 30, the trial court sentenced Shaji to five years' rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 10,000 for the offence of culpable homicide not amounting to murder. He was also sentenced to three years' rigorous imprisonment and fined Rs 500 under another charge, with both sentences directed to run concurrently. Following the sentencing, he was taken into custody and lodged in Puzhal Central Prison.

Challenging the judgment of conviction and the sentence imposed by the trial court, Shaji Purushothaman has filed the present criminal appeal before the Madras High Court.