Gynaecologist Dr Anahita Pandole, who was booked on the charge of rash driving that resulted in the death of industrialist Cyrus Mistry, was not wearing the seat belt of the car properly at the time of the crash, police said on Friday. Patole reportedly has a history of traffic rules violations and was issued challans for over-speeding on several occasions since 2020.
“Dr Anahita, who was driving her Mercedes-Benz car, had not worn the seat belt properly as the pelvic belt was not fastened," Palghar Superintendent of Police Balasaheb Patil said.
“She had only worn the shoulder harness from the back and had not adjusted the lap belt," he added.
These findings are part of the charge sheet, which the police will file before the court. Police is waiting for Dr Anahita to get discharged from the hospital.
According to police, Dr Anahita, who has been undergoing treatment at a private hospital in south Mumbai after the crash, is likely to be discharged in the next couple of days.
Multiple Challans Were Issued Against Anahita Pandole
Earlier, during the probe, police found that the car, in which Mistry was travelling, was involved in violation of various traffic-related norms in the past.
“There were at least seven instances in which Dr Anahita was found behind the wheel and over-speeding, which was captured on speed cameras," Palghar SP Patil said.
As per the official, these instances were from 2020 till the day of the accident in September 2022.c
“Those challans were issued for over-speeding involving the same car that was involved in the Palghar accident," he said adding that these e-challans against her will now be made part of the charge sheet.
As per the police, the car was registered in the name of J M Financials and was used by Anahita Pandole.
Former Tata Sons chairman Mistry (54) and his friend Jehangir Pandole were killed after the Mercedes-Benz car hit the railing of the Surya river bridge in Palghar district on September 4 this year. Dr Anahita, who was at the wheel, and her husband Darius suffered serious injuries in the accident. All of them were returning to Mumbai from Ahmedabad.
The Palghar Police had registered a case against her in November. The offence was registered under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 304 (A) (causing death by rash and negligent act), 279 (rash driving on a public road) and 337 (causing death by act endangering life and personal safety of others) besides the Motor Vehicles Act at Kasa police station in the district.
(With PTI inputs)
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