Mumbai motorist who killed auto driver was drunk, had no driving licence

A 28-year-old man was sent to judicial custody on Wednesday for crushing an auto driver to death near Gokul Shopping Centre in Borivli West last week. Police said Jimit Joshi was speeding and was under the influence of alcohol, and he does not even possess a driving licence. Local auto drivers said he was driving the car at a speed of about 100-120 kmph.

Joshi, a resident of Govind Nagar in Borivli West, was arrested on the spot late Saturday night and taken into police custody. On Wednesday, he was produced in court which sent him to judicial custody for 14 days. His lawyer said they are trying to secure bail from the sessions court.

Road outside Gokul Shopping Centre at Borivli West where the accident took place on Saturday night. Pic/Anurag Ahire

Seeking custody of Joshi, Borivali police told the court, "We received information that a Skoda car dashed into a parked auto. Our mobile van rushed to the spot. A 58-year-old auto driver, Dinesh Tiwari., was hurt.

His friend Rameshchandra Mishra rushed him to Shatabdi hospital, where doctors declared Tiwari dead before taking admission. We took accused Jimit Joshi and his 56-year-old friend Anil Bramhadatt in our custody. Both were found drunk, as alcohol smell was coming from their mouth. They were also not in a position to talk and walk properly. They did not even have a driving licence. We arrested them for killing a man in an accident and drunk driving. We also took their blood samples."

Joshi was arrested later as he was driving, and told police that live in Sunita Park society at Govind Nagar.

"On the day of the incident, Joshi bought alcohol from Mukesh Wines at SV Road in Borivli West at 8.30 pm, and met his friend Anil Awasthi and they drank. Later, Joshi took his cousin's car and crashed it into the auto. During the panchnama, police found a dead dry lizard wrapped in a paper and kept inside the car. Due to this reason, police wanted to check whether the accused consumed drugs," the remand application read. Police await the report from the Shatabdi hospital.

Joshi is a native of Kutch and runs a Dabeli food stall at Borivli West. He lives with his mother and brother.