Delhi BMW accident: Gaganpreet Makkar contests homicide charge - 'FIR lodged 10 hours after arrest'

Gaganpreet Makkar

The judicial custody of Gaganpreet Makkar, the woman driving the BMW which struck and killed a senior finance ministry official in Delhi, was extended until September 27. The order was passed by Judicial Magistrate Ankit Garg at Patiala House Courts on Wednesday.

Gaganpreet, 38, was arrested on Monday following the Sunday afternoon collision on Ring Road near Delhi Cantonment Metro station. The crash resulted in the death of Navjot Singh, 57, a deputy secretary in the Department of Economic Affairs. His wife was seriously injured.

Bail plea highlights FIR delay, disputed charges



Arguing for bail, Gaganpreet’s legal counsel contended that the Delhi Police was improperly escalating the case from an accident to a more serious charge. Senior advocate Ramesh Gupta, representing Gaganpreet, stated in court that the First Information Report (FIR) was registered a full ten hours after her arrest.

According to a report in The Indian Express, Gupta asserted, “The FIR was registered 10 hours after the investigating officer arrested me.” He further argued that the application of Section 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) was based on the claim that the injured were taken to a distant hospital.

This section is non-bailable and carries a maximum punishment of life imprisonment.

Dispute over hospital choice and relief efforts



A key point of contention is why the injured were taken to GTB Nagar Hospital, nearly 17 kilometres from the crash site, instead of a nearer facility. The Delhi Police informed the court that this hospital is owned by a relative of the accused.

The investigating officer stated that the injured wife, who filed the FIR, had pleaded to be taken to the nearest hospital but was allegedly overruled by Gaganpreet. The statement of a taxi driver, who eventually transported them, has been recorded.

Countering this, Gaganpreet’s defence claimed she made her “best efforts” to provide relief. Gupta told the court that an ambulance present at the scene had refused to help. He also mentioned that the car had collided with a bus, which he said should be seized as evidence.

Families left bereft



The human cost of the incident was underscored in the courtroom. Advocate Gupta highlighted the devastating impact on both families, noting that the couple has two young children, who were also injured in the crash.

“They (the couple) have two children aged 5 and 7; they were also injured along with the (senior official),” Gupta was quoted as saying by The Indian Express.

Next steps



The court has scheduled the next hearing for Gaganpreet’s bail application for Saturday. In a separate application, her counsel has also sought the preservation of CCTV footage from the accident site. The court issued a notice on this matter and will hear it on Thursday.

The judicial custody of the accused was extended as the investigation, now under the serious charge of culpable homicide, continues.