PANJIM: Chief Minister Parrikar might think that that the Shobika Gaur drunken driving case, is a “serious issue and has asked for a police report, but his Transport Department doesn’t think so.
Even after the police has recommended suspension of her license, the RTO has pulled out its red tape to delay any action by sending her a show cause notice to explain why her license shouldn’t be suspended. And the time given for her to reply is a shocker. The notice is returnable by “end of August or beginning of September”, almost like an RSVP of a party invitation.
And by the way, she can according to the Assistant Director of Transport, north Goa Prakash Azavedo “Either appear in person or send a representative with her reply”. The notice was issued only last week, almost three weeks after the incident on the night of July 20/21
Officials said that based on her reply to the notice and the police investigation, the department will take a call whether to suspend her license. Gaur’s car, speeding on the wrong lane of D B Marg road had rammed into a bike, badly injuring the rider Sandesh Khutkar and and pillion rider Kaiser Braganza leaving them in hospital with fractured limbs and internal injuries.
Panjim police have committed that the charge-sheet would be filed against her by August-end. Besides one eye-witness, the investigation team managed to get five-to-six witnesses. The medical report that confirmed Gaur was under the influence of alcohol when she mowed down the two youths, will also be attached with the charge-sheet.
She has been booked under sections 279 (rash driving or riding on a public way), 338 (causing grievous hurt) of the Indian Penal Code and sections 119 (disobeying traffic rules) and 184 (driving dangerously) of Motor Vehicle Act. Within few hours of her arrest days after the accident, she was released on a bail bond of Rs 10,000.
