‘Not even a scratch’: Witness backs Vijay Shekhar Sharma amid rash driving accusations

Ritesh Malik, the founder of co-working start-up innov8, claimed there was no damage to the car that Vijay Shekhar Sharma was accused of hitting.

Amid reports that Paytm Chief Executive Officer Vijay Shekhar Sharma was arrested for hitting a top police officer’s car in Delhi last month, a startup founder has come forward in his defence, saying he was a witness to the incident.

Vijay Shekhar Sharma had allegedly rammed a Jaguar Land Rover into the vehicle belonging to Benita Mary Jaiker, deputy commissioner of police (South), outside a school. Jaiker’s driver was in the car at that time.

“A car came speeding from the side and rammed my vehicle,” the driver was quoted as saying by The Indian Express. “There was a Haryana registration number plate and the person managed to drive away. Our vehicle got damaged.”

The man claiming to have witnessed the episode said the car “didn’t even have a scratch”.

“There was no arrest, no negligent driving,” tweeted Ritesh Malik, the founder of co-working start-up innov8. “Total fabrication of events to victimise Vijay Shekhar sir! I was there and saw both the cars, how he managed the situation was fantastic and so responsible. Also, police was in awe of his humility.”

But the police have confirmed that Sharma was arrested, though later released on bail.

The driver had filed a complaint in connection with the incident at the Malviya Nagar police station. He provided the police a vehicle registration number and the car was traced back to a Gurgaon-based company.

The company informed the police that they had given the car to Sharma.

The Paytm CEO, who lives in Delhi’s Greater Kailash area, was then asked to come to the police station. He was charged under Section 279 (rash or negligent driving) of the Indian Penal Code and arrested, but was later released.

Paytm described the accident as a “minor motor vehicle incident”.

“There was no harm caused to any person or property in the said incident,:" a Paytm spokesperson said. "Media reports claiming the nature of the arrest are exaggerated, as even the complaint against the vehicle was for a minor offense under a bailable provision of law and requisite legal formalities were completed on the same day.”